Recycling - Upcycling. From empty bottles to sustainable business
November 16, 2020
Paper translated
Author: Tyra Oseng-Rees has a PhD in recycling of bottle glass from University of Wales Trinity Saint David. Published: Norwegian Centre for Arts and Culture in Education, Nord University, Norway,
Editor: Hilde Hermansen, Senior Advisor ,
Original publication: Text below is translated from Norwegian Original publication can be found here.
Published date: 11 November 2020.
Tyra Oseng-Rees is originally from Norway but has lived in Wales since 2003. She has a doctorate in glass recycling and today runs her own business based on art, sustainability, and cultural education. In the article, Oseng-Rees talks about how important values through upbringing and schooling have had an impact on her sustainability commitment and how this has led to innovative thinking where art, technology and sustainability are the very foundation of her business; a business that also has didactic perspectives.
Photo: Matthew Horwood
Today, there is a myriad of knowledge that must be learned, an abundance of information that must be filtered through critical thinking and a diversity of opportunities in jobs and career choices. It is therefore extra important that school and society provide children and young people with these important experiences, so that they can make good and independent choices as young adults. Creative problem solving, empathy and sustainable development should be important pillars throughout the school system. These interdisciplinary areas are something I emphasize both in my own art production and when it comes to teaching or delivery of various projects for business purposes.
From tree huts to Ph.D. and business
For me, it is important to say a little about the values that characterized my upbringing, as these have helped to shape and lead me to where I am today. Throughout childhood and adolescence, environmental awareness, frugality, creativity, independence and empathy for everything and everyone were fundamental. In the 80's, craftsmanship and creative thinking were still something one was often "exposed" to in everyday life. It could be through mom's knitting, weaving, or sewing, dad's entrepreneurial activities or grandparents' work with thread, textiles, or wood materials.
“In the 80's, craftsmanship and creative thinking were still something one was often "exposed" to in everyday life. “
By trial and error, we children designed and built simple tree huts of plank, saw, hammer and nail. As the skills developed, the constructions also developed into larger and better tree huts. In this process, the work of straightening nails was also important for everything had to be reused and nothing thrown away.
Tyra 11 years old: Photo private
“One of my early experiences related to creativity and entrepreneurship is from the age of 11. On my own initiative, I had made some hand puppets that I wanted to sell. My dad gave me tips on how to set prices, discounts and how to sell. I was standing with him at a trade show he attended with his company. I got a separate section where I hung up posters and exhibited the puppets for sale. This was my first experience as a "self-employed person", a professional title that would both fascinate and frighten me in the years to come. “
Tyra Oseng-Rees
Previous experiences led to higher studies that dealt with creativity, innovation, and product design. Through a bachelor's degree in industrial design, at Swansea Metropolitan University in Wales (now the University of Wales Trinity Saint David), I developed a paving slab for the blind in recycled glass.
Bachelor exhibition. Development of street slabs for the blind. Photo: Swansea Metropolitan University
Through this work, several discoveries were made related to the qualities and challenges of using bottled glass in fusing. A search for answers about the properties and qualities of glass led to a doctorate. The research focused on the study of various variables that affect the material's structural, mechanical, and aesthetic properties. The aim was to investigate under what conditions and for what use the recycled glass can be a full-fledged material, with a view to use in industrial design. The thesis was titled "Physical and Aesthetic Properties of Fused Recycled Bottle Glass".
Bottle glass. Photo: Tyra Oseng Rees
Physical and aesthetic properties of fused, recycled glass
Traditionally, waste glass is recycled and producing into new bottles. The glass is melted at such a high temperature that the new material automatically becomes homogeneous. Published scientific articles shared little information on the process for using bottled glass for fusing. At the same time, there were a handful of companies, both in the UK, Finland, and Germany, that mass-produced and sold products made from recycled kiln-fused glass. This provided a basis for looking at the possibilities that fused bottle glass can be converted into usable material. The aim of the doctoral dissertation was, based on this, to investigate suitability related to the production and use of kiln-fused recycled glass. The thesis included research related to the possibilities of glass as a new aesthetic material for industrial design.
To be able to use glass in fusing, the glass's compatibility must be equal in expansion and contraction during heating and cooling, and at the same time the viscosity of the glass should be approximately equal in critical temperature ranges. Therefore, different types of art glass are specially developed for use in fusion so that the compatibility is the same in all the different glasses. Bottled glass has a different area of use and is not designed to be compatible for fusing. It was therefore assumed that compatibility between different types of bottled glass would create high amounts of residual stress, which in turn would lead to cracks and failure in the material and not be suitable for use in industrial design. Investigation of compatibility between different types of bottled glass provided a starting point for the problem in the doctoral dissertation.
“As a product designer, the goal was to produce a catalogue of different colours, textures and products. “
Furthermore, the controllability of visual and tactile properties was investigated through variation of the fragment size of the broken glass, different colours, fusing, and devitrification techniques. Devitrification is what happens when the glass is heated and undergoes a crystallization process. The glass often becomes dull and opaque, which is often an undesirable phenomenon when glass is fused.
A non-destructive method for examining compatibility and residual stress in the glass. Photo: Swansea Metropolitan University
Both destructive and non-destructive methods were used to systematically calculate the properties of the material. In destructive methods, the test piece is subjected to external forces until it is either destroyed or have marks on the surface, while non-destructive methods allow examination of a test piece without it being destroyed at the same time. One non-destructive method that was performed was the use of an instrument that could read residual stress in the glass after fusing. The instrument yielded quantitative results that were analysed and compared with results from various destructive methods. A destructive method that was performed was a pressure / bending test to measure how much external force was needed to rupture the test piece. The destructive methods were performed and analysed according to recognized standards. The newly developed glass material was also compared with commercially available products such as a ceramic tile with similar characteristics in shape, colour, and area of use.
“The professional background in aesthetics and product design was the driving force to develop a new, sustainable and aesthetic material for use in interiors and exteriors.”
As a product designer, the goal was to produce a catalogue of different colours, textures, and products. Such a catalogue would be useful for the design development in collaboration with engineers and architects. Based on Itten's colour theory, primary colours were systematically combined with different types of glass, different fragments on the broken glass, as well as different fusing and devitrification techniques. On an interdisciplinary platform, the focus was on aesthetic development, at the same time as the material properties were thoroughly tested.
Recycled tiles installed in display apartment. Photo: Swansea Metropolitan University
Characteristic of the doctoral degree was the combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The professional background in aesthetics and product design was the driving force to develop a new, sustainable, and aesthetic material for use in interiors and exteriors. At the same time, the need to test the properties of the material through a scientific method was necessary. The research process provided a unique interdisciplinary expertise in art, glass, engineering and materials testing and I completed a commission for one of the largest architectural offices in Wales to develop recycled glass tiles that were installed in a show flat in an apartment complex in Swansea (BBC Wales, 2008).
Wales' ambitious vision
In 2015, something ground-breaking is happening in environmental development and education in Wales. This has consequences for my further work related to sustainability. A new legislation dealing with future generations' welfare, The Wellbeing of Future Generation Act (Welsh Government, 2015), enters into force. Wales will be the first country in the world to recognize the importance of cultural well-being and to include this in the definition of sustainability. And now, cultural well-being is matched with social, economic, and environmental considerations. The new law is divided into seven sustainability goals with five development principles.
The seven sustainability goals are:
· A prosperous Wales - where everyone has a job, and no one lives in poverty.
· A Resilient Wales - where we are prepared for unforeseen challenges.
· A Healthier Wales - where health and well-being are important.
· A More Equal Wales - where everyone has equal opportunities regardless of background.
· A Wales of Cohesive Communities
· A Wales of Vibrant Culture & Thriving Welsh Language
· A Globally Responsible Wales - where we take care of the environment and people all over the world.
To achieve the seven sustainability goals, five development principles must be considered. These are about making choices based on long-term solutions, preventing problems, interdisciplinary collaboration, involving people in decisions that concern them, as well as understanding how our lives are connected.
In the same year that the new law was implemented, Professor Graham Donaldson, on behalf of the Welsh Government, published a report on the national curriculum (Donaldson, 2015). The report challenged the increased pressure to meet external expectations, especially in national tests for mathematics and reading skills, at the same time as the school's creative role had been reduced.
In 2020, a completely new curriculum was implemented in Wales, with fundamental changes from the previous one. The new curriculum has been developed with a view to give teachers greater flexibility, while at the same time focusing on critical thinking, problem solving, creativity and innovation. The new curriculum has interdisciplinary learning areas with the aim of creating ambitious, enterprising, and creative individuals, who in the future will be ethically informed citizens and good members of the society. In Norway, we find similar changes through the professional renewal and LK20.
Art, technology, and sustainability
Wales has ambitions to become a diverse and flexible nation with a focus on innovation, productivity, and sustainability. Art and culture are recognized as important areas in the new law, which in turn provides a basis for starting a new, innovative business.
In 2015 I was invited as an artist to participate in an interdisciplinary collaborative project, a pilot project, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (UK Research and Innovation, 2016). Arts Council Wales and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David later funded the exhibition to travel to Cornell University, New York, which was one of the collaborative partners. The purpose was to bring art and science together to create a greater understanding of the importance of pollinating insects and the global challenges we face today related to insect death. By focusing on this, a consequential purpose was also to influence political decisions.
“By bringing people together and making connections between disciplines and phenomena, a congressional pattern of thought and action is promoted, where cooperation, equality and ethics are valued” (Cheng, 2020).
Working across different fields of work has always been persistent in my work as a researcher, artist, and designer. By bringing people together and making connections between disciplines and phenomena, a congressional pattern of thought and action is promoted, where cooperation, equality and ethics are valued (Cheng, 2020).
The most captivating experience in the mentioned collaborative project was the awareness raising around the diversity of existing bumblebee species. In Britain alone, there are twenty-four different species, with each species having its own identity markers; from the colours of the hairs, the shape of the antennae, the pollen basket on the hind legs or the colours of the wings. Awareness of this diversity became an eye-opener. As a result of the collaborative project, six different bumblebees in recycled glass were designed and the public were invited to identify them. The bumblebees were made with a fragility in the glass. By doing this, I wanted the audience to be able to experience the bumblebees' vulnerability in today's ecosystem.
The bumblebee project
In the specific teaching project that follows, a practical approach was used to learn creative problem solving. The five ways of working previously mentioned in The Wellbeing of Future Generation Act were used as an important part of the learning. The importance of children being valued, listened to, and allowed to influence their own everyday lives is something I believe is crucial. This is the basis for creating responsible citizens with commitment and a desire for real influence to create a future sustainable society.
Learn about pollinators and bumblebees and the importance of protecting them
Practice observation skills and hand-eye coordination through sketches and painting
Carry out design processes from idea, through planning, to the end-product
Learn about and reflect on environmental issues and recycling
Be introduced to circular economy, how glass can be used repeatedly and the importance of recycling practice
Mathematical skills through measurement and weight of glass in the manufacturing process
Central to the project were creative exploration, observation, scientific approach, and sustainable development. Knowledge of environmental protection and the circular economy were important pillars, as well as knowledge to how art can illustrate and put these important topics on the agenda. The focus was on understanding how the different things are connected in a complex ecosystem. To create this understanding, both learners, teachers and parents were involved in a collaboration. The learners also gained knowledge of how decisions made in the present can have long-term consequences for society, as well as how the integration of different ways of thinking can stimulate new scientific knowledge, which is recognized by the researcher Peter Graystock (2017).
“The importance of children being valued, listened to, and allowed to influence their own everyday lives is crucial. This is the basis for creating responsible citizens with commitment and a desire for real influence to create a future sustainable society. “
By combining art, technology and sustainability with didactic thinking, the desire was to inspire young people to think sustainably. Breaking down the silo mentality by integrating various sectors such as art, education, construction, and architecture, as well as the public and private industries, was also a goal.
The project was divided into phases and carried out over a period of one year. I participated and collaborated with the students in three of four phases. In the following, each phase is briefly described.
1. Observe - plan - create – evaluate
In the very first meeting with the learners, they gained knowledge about bumblebees, the declining bumblebee population and how important bumblebees are for our complex ecosystem. The learners also had to observe the bumblebees in their natural habitat, and the bumblebee safari was therefore central in this phase. Through observation, the learners became aware of the diversity of bumblebees and learned how to identify the different species themselves. With their newly acquired knowledge as a basis, the learners prepared their additional phases with sketches, colour mixing, painting, and creating an identifiable bumblebee from recycled glass.
2. From observation to visualization
In this phase, the goal was to transform the knowledge the learners had acquired through observation, to visual representations. Using the primary colours cyan, yellow, and magenta and basic colour theory, learners explored how they could blend all their desired colours. Each learner was then making a painting of one of the twenty-four bumblebee species in which all the identity markers of the bee were represented. Plan, sketch, paint and make an identifiable bumblebee.
3. Sustainability and circular economy
As part of the learning objectives for the project, learners were taught about sustainability, circular economy, glass recycling, reuse, and upcycling of waste. The learners were encouraged to clean and remove labels from jam jars and glass bottles, as well as to involve parents and other family with bottle recycling. The cleaned glass was then returned to the workshop for processing before the recycled glass was ready to make art bumblebees. In this way, the learners gained direct experience with the use of waste from their own household, as well as colour sorting bottled glass.
Proud Year five at Ynystawe Primaly School show off their bumblebee paintings. Photo: T. Oseng-Rees
Year 2 at Casllwchwr Primary School show off their glass bumblebees. Photo: Casllwchwr Primary School
4. Art, science, and technology
After the learners had processed their observations and evaluated the bumblebee paintings, they made their own art bumblebee using broken glass. In this process, learners had to combine the observation skills, eye-hand coordination, and their knowledge of identification markers to make their own recycled glass bumblebee. Here, too, the characteristics of each bumblebee species were important. Plaster moulds were pre-prepared, and the learners used modelling tools to place the broken glass into the moulds.
The learners make art bumblebees from recycled bottle glass. Photo: T. Oseng-Rees
Finished glass bumblebee made by the learners. Photo: T. Oseng-Rees
The feedback from the parents was overwhelming, and the learners' artwork was very well received. The awareness of the diversity and which flowers the bumblebees prefer created a newfound interest in gardening. At the same time, the learner’s empathy for pollinating insects has increased through practical experience and knowledge of sustainability. The bumblebee art that the learners created reflects the vulnerability of pollinating insects today, at the same time as they show the variety of all the different bumblebees that exist in United Kingdom. A quote from one of the parents sums up the learning effect of the project very well.
“I just wanted to tell you about (nn’s) morning today. She just spent about 20 minutes teaching me and my son about bees. She has remembered an incredible amount of what you taught her. Thank you!“
The importance of using artistic processes, working creatively with different materials and techniques, as well as thinking and acting interdisciplinary, extends beyond the value it has for the individual. With the seven sustainability goals mentioned in The Wellbeing of Future Generation Act and Wales’ new curriculum, focusing on educating creative and empathetic world citizens, it becomes important to think that learners’ experiences from the bumblebee project can become part of their future ethical compass.
References
BBC Wales. (2008, July 05). Pub empties recycled by designer. Retrieved from BBC News: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/7489576.stm
Cheng, E. (2020). Ingressive vs Congressive. Retrieved from http://zhurnaly.com/cgi-bin/wiki/Ingressive_vs_Congressive
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