Aboobo, inkala zyajokela, ikuti tiikwaba boobo tazikonzyi kuzwa muchikozyano. Ooku nkukkampa? kukkalinkana? Kuyeeya zyakachitika chiindi? Tatusinizyi pe. Asi swebo ku Scienceline tulaziyanda ma Crocs eesu, nikuba kuti nzisani zya pinki zimwekamweka eezyo Lyric Aquino nzyaakasamide kumulongo wakumbele ku konsati ya Harry Styles, naa nzisani zya bbululu eezyo Delaney Dryfuss nzyaakasamide ku resturant iili mu Martha's Vineyard. Bamwi mbotuyandisya lino balikubelekela antoomwe a Crocs mbuli Bad Bunny, mafilimu aa Cars antoomwe a 7-Eleven.
Ma clogs aadumide akaliko kwamyaka iili 20, asi mukati kachiindi eecho kunyina notwakali kuyeeya kuti akapangwa anzi. Mubuzyo ooyu waboola mumizeezo yesu, tatukonzyi kuugwisya pe. Aboobo, atulange-lange kabotu-kabotu ku chemistry ya Crocs mpawo tubone mbutukonzya kuchincha bupange bwayo kuchitila kuti inkamu itanyonganyi busena.
Nchintu chiyumu kujana bwiinguzi bululeme a intaneti. Muzibalo zimwi zyaambwa kuti raba, muli zimwi – foomu naakuti resin. Biingi baamba kuti tazili pulasitiki pe.
Kumatalikilo, ma Crocs akapangwa kuzwa kuzintu zya Croslite zizumizyidwe. Kovwukkula loko mpawo ulajana kuti Croslite bunji bwaziindi nji polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA). Eechi chintu, chimwi chiindi chiitwa biyo kuti EVA, chili muchiinga chazintu ziitwa kuti ma polymers — ma molecule mapati aapangidwe ama molecule masyoonto, aainduluka-induluka aajatikizyidwe antoomwe. Bupange bwayo bwamakemikalu buzwa kumafuta aakaindi.
"Ma alligator masimpe ngamapulasitiki. Taakwe kudooneka pe," mbwaamba Michael Hickner, syaazibwene mumakani aazibelesyo ku Pennsylvania State University uuzyibidwe kapati muma polymers.
Wakapandulula kuti pulasitiki nchintu chipati, pesi kanjikanji chaamba polymer yakabambwa abantu. Chiindi chiingi tulayeeya kuti nchintu chiteteete, chiteteete chibelesyegwa kupanga zibelesyo zyakutola zyakulya amabbodela aameenda aasowelwa biyo. Asi styrofoam ayalo nipulasitiki. Ncimwi buyo a nylon a polyester muzisani zyako.
Nokuba boobo, tazili zibi pe kupandulula ma Crocs mbuli foomu, resin naa raba - zyoonse ziliatala aawa. Misyobo eeyi mipati alimwi tiili kabotu pe, imwi aimwi ilajatikizya mbazu ziindene-indene zyakutalikila kwamakemikalu alimwi abukkale bwa Crocs.
Crocs teensi ndelikke nsapato iisyoma PEVA kuti ibe aamaulu mabotu. Kusikila PEVA niyakasika kumamanino aamyaka yakuma 70 akumatalikilo aamyaka yakuma 80, kweendelanya a Hickner, nsingo zyansamngu zyakali ziyumu alimwi tiizyakali kulekelela pe. "Tabajisi buffer pe," wakaamba. "Chakali chiyumu loko." Asi waamba kuti polymer mpya iitakatazyi ilakonzya kuchincha loko kuti ibe aampuwo mumakwebo aazyakusama. Nikwakainda makumi aamyaka, bupya bwa Crocs bwakali bwakupanga nsapato zyoonse kuzwa kuchintu eechi.
"Ndiyeya kuti masalamuzi aa Crocs ngabusongo bwakupanga," mbwaamba Hickner. Mupenzi, Crocs tayiyubununi pe aatala akuti Crocs ilapangwa biyeni, asi magwalo aakkampani amavidiyo atondezya kuti babelesya nzila iizyibidwe iitwa kuti injection molding, nzila iibelesyegwa kupanga zintu zyasiliva zyapulasitiki azitina zya Lego. Mbuli ntobolo ya gluu iipya, muchini wakubumba zintu ulanyonya pulasitiki muyumu, ulaunyonyoona, mpawo ulaugwisya kwiinda mumugoti uuli kumamanino aambi. Ipulasitiki iiteteete ilanjila muchibelesyo, ooko nkoitontola mpawo yaba achiimo chipya.
Namo iipya ilachitwa kuzwa ku PVA. Pesi kutali mbuli gluu iipya, Croslite polymer iyoozula muya kuti ibe mbuli foomu. Eezyo zyakazwa muli ceeci nsamngu iikonzya kuyoya, iitazungaani, iitanjili maanzi yalo iigwasya akukwabilila nsingo yakuulu.
Nzila eeyi ilafwambaana kuchincha mbichani kuchitila kuti nsamngu zyapulasitiki zitanyonganyi busena. Mulipooti yabo yamazubaano yakukwabilila buumi, ba Crocs bakaamba kuti bbaaji lyomwe lyazisani zyabo zyakaindi ligwisya 2.56 kg ya CO2 mumulengalenga. Inkampani yakaambilizya mwaka wamana kuti ilaa makanze aakugwisya mweelwe ooyu aakati kusikila mu 2030, muchibeela kwiinda mukubelesya mapulasitiki aapangidwe kuzwa kuzintu zikonzya kubelesegwa lubo kutali mafuta aazwa kuzintu zyakasyaalila.
Chintu chipya chizwa kuzintu zipona, chiitwa kuti Ecolibrium, chakasaanguna kuchitwa aba Dow Chemical mpo chiyoochitwa kuzwa "kuzintu zizwa kuzisyango zilimbuli mafuta aatakwe busani (CTO), kutali zintu zyakasyaala," mbwaakaamba mwaambilizi wa Dow mu email. Mafuta malamfu, azwa mukupanga mapepa, azwa kubbala lyachiSwedish lyakuti pine. Inkampani eeyi ili mukulanga-langa zimwi nzila zibelesya misamu, mbwaakaamba mwaambilizi wabo.
"Kufumbwa nzila ya bio-based yakayeeyelwa a Dow yeelede kubwezegwa mbuli chintu chizwa mumulimo wakupanga," mbobakalemba.
Ba Crocs bakakaka kusalazya kuti naa bakatalika kubelesya Ecolibrium muzisani zyabo. Twakabuzya aba Crocs kuti mweelwe wamapulasitiki aabo uyoozwa kuzintu zikonzya kubelesegwa lubo kumamanino aamyaka iili kkumi, kumatalikilo katuyeeya kuti bakali kuyanda kuchincha. Mwaambilizi wakasandula mpawo wakapandulula: "Mbuli mbaakani yesu yakujana kuti kutabi tombe lizwa mumulengalenga kusikila mu 2030, tuyanda kucesya muya uuzwa muzintu zimwi a 50% kusikila mu 2030."
Kuti Crocs katakwe makanze aakusanduka kuya ku bioplastics, eezi zilakonzya kuchitika akaambo kamuulo musyoonto akujanika. Kwalino, mapulasitiki aasiyene-siyene aladula loko alimwi taali kabotu kupanga kwiinda mapulasitiki aachiindi. Nzipya alimwi zilazundana anzila zyakale "zizyibidwe kapati", mbwaamba Jan-Georg Rosenboom, injiniya wamakemikalu ku MIT. Asi kuti makwebo aa bioplastics azumanana kukomena, Rosenboom ulangila kuti miulo ilaseluka mpawo kujanika kuyootanta akaambo kakuvwula kwakupanga, minchina mipya naakuti milawu.
Crocs alimwi uyanda kubelesya nzila zimbi zyakuchita kuti kutabi muya uusofweede, mbuli kuchincha kubelesya manguzu aakonzya kubelesegwa lubo, pesi kweendelanya amalipooti aabo aamu 2021, ooku kuchincha takukachitiki kusikila kumamanino aamwaanda wamyaka ooyu. Kusikila chiindi eecho, bunji bwakucheya kuyoozwa mukugwisya mapulasitiki amwi abelesya mafuta aakaindi akubelesya nzila zimbi zikonzya kubelesegwa lubo.
Nokuba boobo, kuli penzi lyomwe lipati eelyo pulasitiki eeyi iizwa kuzintu zipona njiitakonzyi kumanizya: nkoziya nsapato zyamana kubola. Inzoka zilizyibidwe kuti zilapona kwachiindi chilamfu. Kulubazu lumwi, ezi nzintu ziimpene apenzi lyakusama kwakufwambaana ooko makwebo nkwaapenzyegwa. Pesi kulubazu lumwi, nsapato zilamana mumasena aakusowela tombe, mpawo kubola takwaambi kuti zilakonzya kubola.
"Ulizi, Crocs tazikonzyi kunyonyoonwa pe, eezyo zipa kuti kube mapenzi aakuzumanana," Hickner wakaamba. Walo waamba kuti inga kwaba ng'ombe zyiingi muPacific Garbage Patch.
Hickner wakapandulula kuti nikuba kuti PEVA ilakonzya kubelesegwa lubo, taikonzyi kuchitwa antoomwe azintu zimwi zibelesegwa mumaanda. Ma Crocs alakonzya kulipangila nzila yakubelesya zintu zyakale, kubelesya zyakusama zyakale kuti zipange zipya.
"Ikuti Crocs nibakayanda kuchita chintu, nibakaba apulogilamu yakubelesya zintu zyakalengwa kale," wakaamba Kimberly Guthrie, ooyo uuyiisya zyakusambala akubamba zizwaato ku Virginia Commonwealth University.
Crocs yakabelekela antoomwe amuntu uusambala zintu zyakubelesya a intaneti thredUP kuti bajane busena bupya bwazisani zyamwaka wamana. Crocs ili mukusumpula bulongwe oobu mbuli chibeela chakusyomezya kwayo kuchesya mweelwe wamasapato aasika mumasena aakusowela tombe. Nutumina zizwaato zyakabelesegwa azyakusama kuchintoolo chili a intaneti, ulakonzya kulilembya ku Crocs Shopping Points.
ThredUP tiiyakavwiila pe kukumbila kwakuti bazyibe kuti nziingi zyongaye zyakasika mumatoolo aazintu zyakale naakuti zyakasambalwa mumaanda mapya. Nokuba boobo, bamwi bantu balaaba nsamngu zyabo zyakale. Kuyandaula thredUP ulajana nsapato zya Crocs zyaandeene-andeene mumibala yiindene-indene alimwi amasaizi.
Ba Crocs alimwi baamba kuti bakavwuna nsapato ziinda ku 250,000 kuzwa kubusena bwakusowela tombe mumyaka yosanwe yainda kwiinda mupulogilamu yabo yakusanga. Nokuba boobo, mweelwe ooyu ngomupa kuti inkamu ipe nsapato zitanasambalwa muciindi cakuzisowa, alimwi pulogilamu eeyi ilapa nsapato kuli baabo bayanda. Nokuba boobo, nikuba kuti Crocs yakasyomezya kuzumanana, inkamu yakazumanana kusungwaazya bantu ba Crocs Club kuti bapiluke kuyoojana zintu zipya zyapulasitiki ziyumu.
Ino eezi zitusiya anzi? Nchintu chiyumu kwaamba. Tulimvwa kabotu asyoonto akaambo kakubula mulimo wesu wakasambalwa, uumweka-mweka mumudima a Bad Bunny, pele kutali kwachiindi chilamfu.
Allison Parshall ngusikulemba makani aasayaansi uujisi luyandisisyo lwakwaambilizya makani kwiinda mukubelesya nzila zyiingi. Alimwi ulembela Quanta Magazine, Scientific American antoomwe a Inverse.
Delaney Dryfuss lino ngu Mweendelezi Mupati wa Scienceline alimwi muvwuntauzyi wa Inside Climate News.
Amuyandisye ng'ombe zyanu, pesi zimwi ziladula loko kuti muzikonzye kuziula. Ndalomba kuti unditumine zyakusama zyako zipya, sayizi 5. Ndakali kusama zyakusama zyangu zyamamanino kwamyaka myiingi. Kolanganya busena mpawo upone kabotu.
Ndilangila buyo kuti zili kabotu mbuli mbozibede lino nkaambo kuteteeta kwazyo kulibonya kuti ncecintu cilikke ncondikonzya kusama kumulimo akaambo kabulwazi bwangu bwamapunga alimwi azintu zimwi zicitika kumaulu aangu. Ndakasoleka loko kuchisa maulu azimwi. Zibelesyo zyakukwabilila maulu... tazibeleki pesi ndime tandikonzyi kusama nsapato naakuti tandijana chintu chili kabotu kulindime mpawo chiindi choonse nondienda balandisinikizya bbola lyamaulu aangu, mpawo ndaumwa magesi naakuti chimwi chintu chili mbuli boobo. ndilimvwaanga kuli chintu mukati eecho chiteelede kuba aawo...ndiyanda kuti zibe ziteteete mbuli zimwi kuchitila kuti ndizumanane kubeleka
Nindakamana kubala ezi, ndakayeeya kuti Crocs inga yanyonganya chintu chabo. Eezyi nzisani zibotu kapati zili mumusika lino mumakani aakuumbulizya akugwasyilizya. Nkaambo nzi ncotweelede kubeja kuzwidilila akunyonyoona chintu chibotu. Ndilikwe penzi lyama crocs lino, mbuli mbondizyi tandikonzyi kuziula limbi.
Ndakali kunkomwe yalwizi muOregon kandikwela nziba zyobile zyamulwizi. Zilasalala kuti, zyakali mumaanzi kwachiindi chilamfu, nkaambo zyakalizwide buumi bwamulwizi mpawo tiizyakali kutyoka pe. Chiindi, ndakali kukonzya kuya kunkomwe yalwizi kujana gilazi lyamulwizi, asi lino ndajana buyo pulasitiki – zibeela zipati aziniini. Eeli ndipenzi pati.
Ndiyanda kuziba kuti nguni mupati wakupanga nsapato eezyi, tulapanga zyakulisakatizya nsapato, tusambala nsapato ziinda ku 1000 amwezi, lino tuli mukubula
Nchintu chiyumu kuzyiba kuti naa kuli akati kazeezi zililuzi naakuti zili buyo mbuli mabboti aakusampaula. Kulindime, kuzumanana ku Crocs kuli mbuli kabunga kabavwubi basaina chizuminano chakugwasya akupa chisela chalubono lwabo. Taakwe naba omwe akati kabo uujatikizyidwe muli eci, asi bakatambula mpuwo mpati akaambo kamajwi aabo. Crocs Inc. yakaamba kuti yakajana mali manji kapati amwaka aasika ku $3.6 billion, kuya mujulu a 54% kuzwa mu 2021. Kuti kabayandisya ncobeni kuti makkampani abweze mukuli wampindu ncobeni yazisani zyabo, mali aaya aliwo kale kuti akabelesyegwe mukubikka mali. Mbuli bana bachili baniini mbobatambula nsapato eezyi akuzumanana, Crocs ilakonzya kuba MBA legend kuti babikkila maanu kukusanduka kwabukkale bwabasikuula. Pesi kuchita zintu eezyo zipati zilakonzya kuyumu loko, nkaambo kubikka mali munzila zidula zyakukwabilila nchintu chiimpene akujana mpindu kuli basimakwebo/basikubikka mali muchiindi chifwiifwi.
Ipulojekiti ya Sayensi, Buumi, a Pulogilamu Yakulemba Makani Aabusena ya Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute ku New York University. Garrett Gardner mutwe wamakani.