Carl A. Zimring. Aluminum Upcycled

In Aluminum Upcycled, Carl A. Zimring makes the case that, regardless of the material one focuses on, successful recycling, even for material as recyclable as aluminum, depends upon one thing above all else: design that takes the process of disposal, collection, and recycling into account. This well-written book makes it clear that producers need to pay far more attention to this aspect of the equation if we are to make significant movement toward more sustainable uses of our material resources. In a brief introduction, Zimring points to the current interest in “upcycling” as a strategy for reusing material sustainably. The term refers to the practice of using discarded material to produce products having a higher value than that associated with the material’s first use. An example is using recycled plastic in the manufacture of shoes. Zimring then examines the potential and limits of this design strategy through a history of the production, use, and recycling of aluminum.

Architectural engineering · Business · Economics · Process (computing) · Production (economics) · Reuse · Sustainability · Waste management · Computer Science · Engineering · Historical Studies and Socio-cultural Analysis · Vietnamese History and Culture Studies