Using Old Tires to Make New Flip
By: Arah Go
Description and Rationale
Car tires are broadly found in the roads of the Philippines. They were originally imported from America as a helpful transportation for people in 1844, by Charles Goodyear. He invented vulcanized rubber which later on was used for tires. It has adapted very well and today the sizes are increasing. Flip flops seen around today are adapted from the earlier stage of life. Shoes were referred as sandals, even if the designs were similar to flip flops. These were known as “the sandal that had no back.” The name flip flop came from the sound the shoe makes. These shoes have no ankle support and it prevents the shoe from falling off the foot. They have very appropriate footwear in climate like the Philippines, and pairs are increasing (“FlipFlop”).
Tire sandals were made and used by many poor countries such as Mexico and Vietnam. During the “American War” of the 1960’s and 70’s many Vietnamese people wore sandals made from tires. These sandals were named “kilikili”.
When tires become old and useless, what happens to them? Are they just stacked up in front of homes and garbage dumpsters in the Philippines? Would anyone buy them? Or would they just simply be in the corner of the garbage dumps? Are there legitimate reasons why such a plentiful resource is being discarded? Do tire company collect and old tires and renew them for new automobiles?
Might there be new ways to utilize the tires for livelihood? Recent observations at homes in the Philippines found discarded tires which were waiting to be picked up by garbage trucks. What were the reasons for this disregard? Are there any beneficial uses of old tires? The Philippines are found with a lot garbage trash everywhere in the streets. In the garbage pile, there are found many used tires which have no other benefit to them anymore.
The initial purpose of this project will be to research used tires currently stacked at the gates of houses waiting for the next garbage truck to pick them up in the Philippines, through research of the literature as well as firsthand observations and interviews with Filipino people. Flip flops made out of tires will be made by hand. These initial findings will help guide the experimental phase, where key variables in the tires are useful further explored.
It is hoped that new uses of the previously unwanted tires might help improve the livelihood of the people living in the Philippines through a more informed understanding of abundant tire resource, and the way it can be made into flip flops.
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Biology
Common Names and Synonyms
Para Rubber Tree, also known as the Hevea brasiliensis, is the scienctific name for a specific type of rubber tree. Hevea brasiliensis is also called Jebe, arbre de para, parakautschukbaum, cauchotero de pará, seringueira, seringueribranca, arbol del caucho, and siringa. Synonym is SIBR7 Siphonia Brasiliensis willd (ex A. Juss.) (“Raintree Nutrition”)
Classification
The H. brasiliensis’s scientific symbol is HEBR8. There are 60 genera in Europhorbiaceae, and 2 species under Hevea. (“USDA”)
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Morphology and Physical Description
EXTERNAL ANATOMY
Para rubber trees usually grow to a height of 45 ft, but in extreme cases they may even reach over 98.4 feet. During plantations (A large estate or farm on which crops are raised, often by resident workers), the trees are kept smaller than usual, which grows up to 78 feet to use most of the carbon dioxide for latex (An emulsion of rubber or plastic globules in water, used in paints, adhesives, and various synthetic rubber products) production.
INTERNAL ANATOMY
Cells or vessels found in para rubber tree latex make the latificerous system, which forms in two very different ways. Many plants that have laticiferous system are formed from rows of cells that are laid down in the meristem (embryonic tissue in plants; undifferentiated, growing, actively dividing cells) of stems and roots. The cell walls between the cells are separated so that latex vessels are formed. This method of formation is found in rubber trees such as para rubber tree. Laticiferous systems are found in all parts of mature plant, which includes roots, stems, leaves, and fruits. This is particularly noticeable in the cortical tissues. The white or yellow latex occurs in latex vessels (One of the tubular conductive structures of xylem, consisting of dead cylindrical cells that are attached end to end and connected by perforations) in the bark, mostly outside the phloem. These vessels spiral up the tree in a right-handed spiral which forms 30 degrees with the horizontal. The wood from this rubber tree is named as parawood or rubberwood, which is used to manufacture furniture. It is valued for its dense grain, minimal shrinkage, attractive colour and acceptance of different finishes. The chemistry of latex is obtained from a rubber tree or any stable suspension in water of a similar synthetic polymer. These are used to make from different techniques as dipping (rubber gloves), spreading (waterproof cloth), and electrodeposition (plastic-coated metal). They also are used to make paints too. (“Latex”)
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Getting Food
Para rubber trees can survive in pH levels between 4 and 8. For best results for the tree to grow, the lighting has to be under semi shade for the seeds to geminate. The preferred temperature is in high temperatures. The annual rainfalls are between 1000 and 5000mm per year. These trees are occupied in moist or well drained tropical rainforests.
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Reproduction
Para rubber trees produce small green and yellow staminate (having a stamen or stamens) and pistillate (Having one or more pistils) flowers. Few of the staminate flowers open first, then all the pistillate flowers, and then the rest of the staminate flowers bloom. This certainly makes sure a high degree of cross pollinating. Insects such as midges, thrips, moths and bees pollinate the bloomed flowers. Produced seeds are brown and oblong, being 2. 5 cm long and subglobose brown capsules are 5 to 7cm thick. (“Hevea brasiliensis – Usambara Invasive Plants”)
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Environmental Factors
Rubber diseases can become serious if it is left unchecked by tree doctors. Detecting these diseases earlier can prevent the disease from spreading and damaging both the rubber nurseries and plantations. Diseases that affect the rubber tree can be classified from parts of plants. These diseases can be cured by proper cultural and management practices. Please look in this website for the list of rubber diseases, which parts are infected, and how to cure them. Foliar has 5 different diseases, nursery has 5 different diseases, stem and branch has 3 different diseases.
There are no competitors for rubber trees except in the market places, which are imported from different countries and companies. The symbiotic relationships of rubber trees and humans are trading off oxygen and carbon dioxide. Other relationships are protecting preservation orders, livestock gazing, and plantations of other rubber productions. ("MANAGING ECOSYSTEMS.")
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Origin and Distribution
Para Rubber Trees are native to the Amazon rainforests in South America. It was introduced and invasive in Tanzania. But in parts of East Africa, southeastern Asia, Australia, Micronesia, Fiji, Samoa and Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines was introduced but not invasive in the early 1900’s by Menzi Agricultural Corporation. Para rubber trees can be grown anywhere in the world where there is plenty of water and sunlight.
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Importance to People
Para Rubber Trees produces a raw material called latex, a sap that can be collected to produce rubber. Latex is used to make tires, shoes, hospital materials such as surgical gloves. The lumber in the tree can be used to make furniture, plywood, and even floor tiles, which are highly priced, because of its exquisite beauty, its dense grain, minimal shrinkage, attractive colour and acceptance of different finishes. (“Para Rubber Tree”)
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Survivability and Endangered Status
Para Rubber Trees are still major producers in the Philippines, but only 100,000 hectares of land is planted with rubber trees. Compared to other Asian countries, the Philippines is behind in rubber production. Rubber tree seedlings can be purchased in Kidapawan City and Davao City. The budding seedlings cost forty pesos ($0.9), and the none budding seedlings are ten pesos ($0.2).
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Potential Solutions
Even though car tires are commonly used for transportation, it brings impressive results when used as shoes for walking. Rubber tires have special protection for broken glasses and other harmful materials rather than a normal flip flop. However, a rubber tire flip flop is different. When stepped on a broken glass, no cut stains can be detected. This is because the tire is strongly made with steel in between the thin rubber. A tire is heavy, which shows that the tire is strong and protective. Therefore, it is very good for the people living in the Philippines since there are broken glass chunks everywhere. Below are 3 possibilities with 2 analyses of the advantages and disadvantages for each possibility.
Possibility 1 - HOW TO MAKE FLIP FLOPS OUT OF RUBBER TIRES
Making homemade flip flops and selling them cheaply to Filipinos can help a lot. Old tires can be recycled, and Filipinos can have cheaper, safer, and longer lasting shoes to walk on.
Advantages:
1. It is safer to walk around in the Philippines without damaging the sole of the flip flops and causing harm to the foot.
2. Not many ingredients are needed for this flip flops, only a old tire that is free, a meter of ribbon (depending how long you want it to be) that costs only $0.50 per yard, and a pretty little decoration to fill in the simple gap which can be found free anywhere from home.
Disadvantages:
1. If there is no assistance from professional mechanic to cut the tire, some accidents could happen due to the hardness of the tire.
2. Although it takes a short time to actually tie around the ribbons, it takes a long time to cut the tire how it is wished to look like (the size and the foot width).
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Possibility 2 - MAKING BROCHURES
Most Filipinos believe tire is used only for vehicles. Even though it is often used for transportation, it is not usually used for walking transportation. Making brochures about rubber tire’s effects for flip flops, and the method of how to make flip flops and distributing them to people would be a good way to teach a new way of rubber tires.
Advantages:
1. With a direction paper, Filipinos can make the flip flop, get a chance to sell the products and use the money to support their family.
2. Filipinos love free things. Just by giving out papers, they can go find the materials anywhere, old tires, rice bag strips for substitution of ribbons, and shells for the decorations. They can make the flip flops out of things they have at their home, which saves the money to go buy the flip flops and the transportation money.
Disadvantages:
1. People can just throw the brochures away.
2. People might not get a deep explanation of my project.
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Possibility 3 - GIVING INTEREST TO SHOP EMPLOYEES
Through employees, new ideas could be sent through to the company. By giving a simple interview/survey sheet asking some questions, the phase, “Rubber tire flip flops” could be put into the employee’s head.
Advantages:
1. If this idea really interests the employee, then the idea could get sent to the company, where this new idea of recycling tires can be produced into trendy flip flops.
2. The employees themselves try to make the flip flops and show them to the store managers, which the idea can be sent to the company to produce.
Disadvantages:
1. If this idea did not interest the employees, then this idea could vanish out of their heads. They could have acted like they were interested just for the benefit of the store. (They looked interested though)
2. Even if the employees were interested, they would not have the time to make the flip flops, because they are busy working at their shops.
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Bibliography
“Flip Flops” Visiting interviews with 5 different people. 07 May 2009.
"Hevea brasiliensis - Usambara Invasive Plants." Homepage -Tropical Biology
Association -. 12 Apr. 2009
http://www.tropical-Biology.org/research/dip/species/Hevea%20brasiliensis.htm
"Latex." Answers.com - Online Dictionary, Encyclopedia and much more. 12 Apr.
2009
http://www.answers.com/topic/latex
"MANAGING ECOSYSTEMS." WELCOME TO THE GEOGRAPHY PAGES. 12 Apr.
2009
http://www.geographypages.co.uk/manageco.htm
"Para Rubber Tree." PCARRD - DOST. 07 May 2009
http://maidon.pcarrd.dost.gov.ph/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&tas
k=view&id=475
Raintree Nutrition. "Hevea brasiliensis - Rubber Tree." Wealth of the Rainforest –
Pharmacy to the World from Raintree Nutrition, Inc. 1996. 12 Apr. 2009
http://www.rain-tree.com/rubber.htm
USDA. "Hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree)." Welcome to the PLANTS Database |
USDA PLANTS. 12 Apr. 2009
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HEBR8.
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