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Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

peopleofcolorintech.com

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Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#91

Post by Retric »

chuckledog wrote: post #85
SCAQTony wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The bricks will aspirate toxic chemicals when exposed to direct sunlight: "...Plastics leached twice as much pollution in sunlight as in darkness, they found. One bag leached 263 different chemicals in the dark but more than 13,000 when exposed to light! Others leached even more. And the longer bags were exposed to sunlight, the more chemicals they leached. ..." https://www.sciencenewsforstudents.org/article/everyday…

Article states this is “plastic that otherwise would be dumped in the city’s overflowing garbage heaps.” Environmental impact of these plastics should be weighed relative to the impact of those same plastics sitting in said garbage heaps. It’s likely safer sequestered in a processed brick optimized for durability than it would be rapidly degrading from e.g. thin plastic bag material into microplastics leaching into t…

The environmental impact of garbage in dumps is extremely low, by spreading these bricks over a much larger area they would probably become a significantly larger environmental issue.

Dumps in operation look disgusting, but long term they end up looking like a regular hill and can avoid contamination of the local water supply etc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Trashmore_Park#/media/Fi...

Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#92

Post by braingenious »

colpabar wrote: post #64

Do people of color ever roll their eyes at websites like this? Does it ever just seem silly? edit: I am white, and my question is not for white people. I call it “peopleofcoloronhackernews” :^)

I don’t really mind when people make websites about others folks like me in tech.

I do roll my eyes when people ignore the contents of an interesting article and unprompted go out of their way to inform everybody that they find the existence of sites like that to be silly.

Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#93

Post by colpabar »

kache_ wrote: post #84
colpabar wrote: post #64

Do people of color ever roll their eyes at websites like this? Does it ever just seem silly? edit: I am white, and my question is not for white people. I call it “peopleofcoloronhackernews” :^)

it's pretty offensive to me, what the huwites would call a racial bipoc look! he did a thing even though he's one of those XYZs!

> look! he did a thing even though he's one of those XYZs!

This is exactly what I was wondering. I think I'd feel the exact same way.

Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#94

Post by PKop »

braingenious wrote: post #92
colpabar wrote: post #64

Do people of color ever roll their eyes at websites like this? Does it ever just seem silly? edit: I am white, and my question is not for white people. I call it “peopleofcoloronhackernews” :^)

I don’t really mind when people make websites about others folks like me in tech. I do roll my eyes when people ignore the contents of an interesting article and unprompted go out of their way to inform everybody that they find the existence of sites like that to be silly.

You wouldn't approve of a "Whites in tech" blog so why be so self righteous about this?

Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#95

Post by braingenious »

PKop wrote: post #94
braingenious wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don’t really mind when people make websites about others folks like me in tech. I do roll my eyes when people ignore the contents of an interesting article and unprompted go out of their way to inform everybody that they find the existence of sites like that to be silly.

You wouldn't approve of a "Whites in tech" blog so why be so self righteous about this?

Hi do you have any thoughts about bricks made with plastic or are you just here to air your grievances about some perceived cultural slight?

Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#96

Post by colpabar »

braingenious wrote: post #92
colpabar wrote: post #64

Do people of color ever roll their eyes at websites like this? Does it ever just seem silly? edit: I am white, and my question is not for white people. I call it “peopleofcoloronhackernews” :^)

I don’t really mind when people make websites about others folks like me in tech. I do roll my eyes when people ignore the contents of an interesting article and unprompted go out of their way to inform everybody that they find the existence of sites like that to be silly.

I know it's off topic, but I'm just curious. Also, the website does seem to be silly regardless of who it's for, given that two of the top stories are about NFTs.

Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#97

Post by PKop »

braingenious wrote: post #95
PKop wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You wouldn't approve of a "Whites in tech" blog so why be so self righteous about this?

Hi do you have any thoughts about bricks made with plastic or are you just here to air your grievances about some perceived cultural slight?

When a blog is titled "Black Woman Engineer Turns Plastic Into Bricks That Are Reportedly Stronger Than Concrete" on a blog called People of Color in Tech, it's going to get commented on, don't be naive.

Maybe if these qualifiers aren't worthy of discussion, they shouldn't be used. If the article was titled "Engineer does X.." on a tech blog not singling out a particular race, it wouldn't be an issue. If bricks and plastic were all that mattered, they wouldn't mention race all over the website. Ctrl+F "Black" on main page... does race matter or doesn't it?

Re: Engineer turns plastic into bricks that are reportedly stronger than concrete

#100

Post by at_compile_time »

lelandfe wrote: post #82
astatine wrote: post #70

Mixing plastics with asphalt has been tried for roads in India for many years now. There is one stretch near where I live which was done 10+ years ago. There is an official policy on trying this, as a pilot, for any agency that wishes to use it. See: https://www.prakati.in/use-of-plastic-for-road-construction-... The road which I use occasionally seems reasonably good as roads go. Unless you see the boards informing…

I think plastic probably makes more sense as a construction material than for roads. Cars are really tough on roads. I have to imagine that plastic in roads would get shredded into microplastics and wind up all over the place.

Tires and brakes already do that. This would just do it more.
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