Faunas

The Future of Waste Management

Trash is a product of our daily lives. The average American will throw away 5.91 pounds of trash every day. That’s the same weight as a small-sized adult cat.

A visual of waste produced on a daily basis by one person

Not only do we throw away a small-sized adult cat every day, but only 1.51 pounds of the “cat” will be recycled. The leftover 4.4 pounds will contribute to the annual global production of 2.1 billion tons of trash.

This annual production of waste is predicted to increase by 70% by the year 2050. This increase would bring the annual production from 2.1 billion tons to 3.4 billion tons.

The majority amount of waste products that are contributing to the 2.1 billion tons of trash, is plastics. As of 2016, 242 million tons of plastic waste was produced. In 2016, The Ellen MacArthur Foundation predicted that there will be more plastics in the oceans than there are fish by the year 2050. But only if preventative action is not taken.

A visual of what our oceans could look like in 2050

Unlike organic waste (i.e. food waste), plastics take hundreds to thousands of years to decompose. Due to the slow decomposing, plastic waste causes harm to not only animals and humans but the earth, it’s self.

The harm caused by plastic production and pollution:

• Exposure to toxic chemicals in plastic — there is a current finding of increasing amounts of chemicals in food products.
• Plastic is the main product of fracking — digging into the ground to gain access to natural gasses and oils.
• Increase the death tolls of animals — especially seabirds and marine animals.
• Plastics can break down and turned into new plastic but are not biodegradable.
• Plastic is present everywhere — from Antarctica to the Arctic.

Unfortunately, almost all consumer products contain plastics. This is because of plastics lightweight, cheap, and flexible features. But if we use plastics in everything and we have a lot of leftover plastics, why are we not reusing them?

The current recycling of plastics worldwide is only estimated to be 20%. This will leave 80% of plastics in landfills or the ocean.

But…how can we increase from 20% to 100%?

Introducing: Faunas

[faa-nuh-s]

Faunas is a company dedicated to achieving a world without waste by establishing the world’s first-ever circular economy for trash.

A circular economy is an economic system that is aiming to eliminate waste and the constant use of resources.

The goal of Faunas’s circular economy is to tackle all of the plastic waste by the year 2045. Once all of the plastic waste is brought to an amount of zero, Faunas will then begin to add-in glass waste and metal waste into the established circular economy.

The circular economy established by Faunas will take the following steps:

• Taking in communities waste
• Recycling the trash
• Reproducing new products
• Released the new goods into stores
• Repeat

A visual of Faunas’ circular economy

Faunas’s circular economy consists of:

1. Locally-based Recycling Plants

Faunas’s local-based plants within cities will result in a decrease in gas emissions.

In 2018, the United States exported 78% (9.2 million US tons) of plastic waste (157,000 shipping containers) to countries with poor waste management. Exporting the waste caused the release of gas emissions by cargo ships and freight trucks. All contributing to air pollution. These cargo ships contribute about 3% or 1 billion tons of CO2 and GHGs per year as of the year 2015. While freight trucks contribute on average about 161.8 grams of CO2 per ton-mile.

Keeping recycling in cities results in no cargo ships and little need for freight trucks. Which translates in no importing or exporting of recyclable goods between countries. All causing a decrease in CO2 emissions released during import and export.

2. Artificial Intelligence Algorithms

Within Faunas’s local plant there are artificial intelligence algorithms (i.e machine learning and Convolutional Neural Network/CNNs). The algorithms result in a decrease in the amount of time it takes to sort through recyclable goods. As well as, an increase in the number of recyclable goods sorted.

The sorting of recyclable goods can be done by employees or by machines. An average employee can sort through 30–40 items per minute. While a machine can sort through 66 items per minute. Only being able to sort through 30–66 items per minute is slow and ineffective.

So, Faunas’s plants ensure an increase of sorted items to 3,000 items per minute by the use of machine learning and CNNs.

• Machine Learning — allows the machines to recognize what plastic item is recyclable or unrecyclable. As well as, where within the plant that it should be sent to. If the item is unrecyclable, it will be transported to be used to produce fuel.
• Convolutional Neural Network (CNNs) —allows the machine learning algorithm to recognize the different types of plastics. All based on size, shape, surface texture, and weight.

3. Product Reproduction On-site

Faunas’s local-based plants also have an on-site reproduction plant. These on-site systems will decrease the amount of money spent on transportation of the goods to another site. As well as, a decrease in gas emission released in the transportation of the broken down recyclable goods.

The plastic waste is shredded into pieces and is sent to the on-site product reproduction plant. The plastic pieces will then be turned into new plastic products. Once the process is complete, the new products will be exported back to consumers so that Faunas’s circular economy will start all over again.

The Future of Faunas

Faunas will always have the vision of a world without waste. A circular economy is the beginning of achieving Faunas’s focus. It is also the first step to create a healthy, sustainable, and non-polluted future.

To always know what Faunas is up to in the future, be sure to:

1. Follow Faunas’s Linkedin
2. Check out Faunas.co
3. Email Faunas with any question that you may have at faunas.co@gmail.com

From our team here at Faunas to you, we would like to say an appreciated thank you for joining us on our mission and doing your part to help us achieve a new future.

FAQs

Q: What does the name Faunas mean?

• A: Faunas comes from the phrase “flora and fauna”. Flora refers to plants, while fauna refers to the animal life present on the earth. Since our mission is to pave a new path for our species to consume and create without destroying the Earth, the name “Faunas” refers to this new way of life we aim to create.

Q: Why did the team pick those colors?

• A: We wanted to create a color story that embraces our new-wave approach to waste management. Also, our colors reflect that by having earthy sunset tones to reflect our goal of being a leader of a new horizon of production, recycling, and consumption.