Our sustainable ambition: a robot with the smallest possible footprint
Every year the Global Footprint Network calculates the so-called "Earth Overshoot Day". This is the day on which, counting from January 1, we have consumed and used as much worldwide as the earth can produce in one year. In 1981 this day was still on December 14th. Now nearly 30 years later, Earth Overshoot Day is no longer at the end of the year, but rather is in late July. This means that we have started to use almost twice as much as the earth has to offer us in a year. We are thus anticipating future years and, if we continue in this way, future generations. At Leaphy, we want to provide equal opportunities for everyone, including our children and grandchildren. That is why we have the ambition to make our footprint as small as possible.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we have her on loan from our children. ' - Indian saying
Leaphy Ocean: The educational robot made from sea plastic!
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In other words, the smallest possible footprint. That is not so easy for a robot where sensors, actuators and electronics are an essential part of its functioning! The production, transport (from China…) and the final waste processing of all these parts are certainly still leaving their mark at the moment. Although not easy, we are happy to accept the challenge. Step by step. Looking for partners who, like us, want to make a difference and who believe in a sustainable future. One of the steps is the initiative to make an educational robot from recycled plastic. The starting point here is the Leaphy Original robot. Normally it is made from Birch plywood that is cut with a laser cutter. Our question: can this also be made from other materials? In our search for alternative materials, we ended up with the Juttersgeluk foundation. They collect plastic from Dutch beaches and process it using various methods into high-quality production materials and new products. Normally the Leaphy Original is produced by laser cutting. The problem here is that toxic gases are formed with plastic, which of course do not benefit people and the environment. In collaboration with Oorbeek punching knives B.V. we started looking for a new production method with which we could still use the beautiful materials of the Juttersgeluk foundation. And with success, the first educational robots made from recycled plastic are now for sale in our webshop!
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The Leaphy Ocean is made from soft drink caps found on the beach. Juttersgeluk makes plates of it and the Leaphy leaves are made with a punch.
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