Comments on: Plastic Roads for India http://calpolymbatrip.com/2009/india/plastic-roads-for-india/ The MBA Graduate Program at Cal Poly Tue, 22 May 2012 01:17:45 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: John Barry http://calpolymbatrip.com/2009/india/plastic-roads-for-india/#comment-17192 John Barry Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:24:16 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/?p=2210#comment-17192 Mr. Khan's ingenuity should serve as a reminder to never leave a stone unturned. Plastic Roads??!! That seems like a creation of a really bad fiction writer! Whatsmore, this innovation effectively deals with the problems of deteriorating Indian infrastructure, and the pollution that so commonly coincides with over-popullation. Even harder to imagine, is the fact that a plastic asphalt hybrid road is more resilient than a pure asphalt one. I can only imagine the great ideas we here in the US could be coming up with if instead of focusing on our next exciting purchase, we collectively got back in touch with the innovating roots that made our nation so great. Unfortunately, it's been a while since we've had a transformational leader to rally Americans in common effort, unless of course, you're of the pursuasion that the statement "go out shopping" counts as a unifying and transformative call to action. Regardless of your feelings regarding what good leadership should entail, it's hard to not be impressed with the imaginative problem solving displayed by Mr. Khan in his sinister plot to devoid landfills of the plastics they so badly crave, while simultaneously doing good business. Mr. Khan’s ingenuity should serve as a reminder to never leave a stone unturned. Plastic Roads??!! That seems like a creation of a really bad fiction writer! Whatsmore, this innovation effectively deals with the problems of deteriorating Indian infrastructure, and the pollution that so commonly coincides with over-popullation. Even harder to imagine, is the fact that a plastic asphalt hybrid road is more resilient than a pure asphalt one. I can only imagine the great ideas we here in the US could be coming up with if instead of focusing on our next exciting purchase, we collectively got back in touch with the innovating roots that made our nation so great. Unfortunately, it’s been a while since we’ve had a transformational leader to rally Americans in common effort, unless of course, you’re of the pursuasion that the statement “go out shopping” counts as a unifying and transformative call to action. Regardless of your feelings regarding what good leadership should entail, it’s hard to not be impressed with the imaginative problem solving displayed by Mr. Khan in his sinister plot to devoid landfills of the plastics they so badly crave, while simultaneously doing good business.

]]> By: Erika Bylund http://calpolymbatrip.com/2009/india/plastic-roads-for-india/#comment-17187 Erika Bylund Fri, 04 Dec 2009 18:43:36 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/?p=2210#comment-17187 Infrastructure in India is still one the major items on the country's "to do" list. Danielle's post really highlights how India's private sector is not waiting for government to take the lead roll on this issue, but rather, taking the matter into its own hands. India is quickly becoming renowned for its resourcefulness, ingenuity, and efficacy in solving problems like these. (Catherine's post, entitled "No Toilet, No Bride!" is another example of such problem-solving strategies.) Such initiative is analagous to the American concept of "self-reliance", a value which seems to have been diluted with abuse of government programs, litigation, and career-politicians. India should serve as a reminder to us about what we forego as a country if we continue to sit here in America being content, unmotivated, and slow to action. In what ways can we in America apply India's example to our current issues in terms of health care, education, or financial rehabilitation? Infrastructure in India is still one the major items on the country’s “to do” list. Danielle’s post really highlights how India’s private sector is not waiting for government to take the lead roll on this issue, but rather, taking the matter into its own hands. India is quickly becoming renowned for its resourcefulness, ingenuity, and efficacy in solving problems like these. (Catherine’s post, entitled “No Toilet, No Bride!” is another example of such problem-solving strategies.) Such initiative is analagous to the American concept of “self-reliance”, a value which seems to have been diluted with abuse of government programs, litigation, and career-politicians. India should serve as a reminder to us about what we forego as a country if we continue to sit here in America being content, unmotivated, and slow to action. In what ways can we in America apply India’s example to our current issues in terms of health care, education, or financial rehabilitation?

]]> By: Jordan Wente http://calpolymbatrip.com/2009/india/plastic-roads-for-india/#comment-17153 Jordan Wente Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:12:41 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/?p=2210#comment-17153 Will that is very true. During my time abroad, I noticed similar uses for what we in the US consider garbage. If this idea of plastic pavement is a good as it sounds, it would be interesting to see the impact it could have on the state of California alone. I wonder what reusing plastic to build roads might do to the CA budget, environment and quality of the roads. In India, it would be interesting to see the impact it might have on society. It has the possibility to bring high incentives to recycling and to change the process of waste management in general. We in the United States could also benefit from such a change. However, as good as the idea sounds, it seems to me that there might be vast negative consequences to this use of plastic on health and the environment. We are told not to reuse plastic water bottles because of the possible consequences and presence of toxic chemicals, why would a road paved out of plastic be any different? Could the soil and water be contaminated as a result of this use of plastic, creating more challenges for India to have to overcome? The innovative ideas surrounding this article are inspiring and I am sure this kind of thinking will lead to greater developments in the future. Will that is very true. During my time abroad, I noticed similar uses for what we in the US consider garbage. If this idea of plastic pavement is a good as it sounds, it would be interesting to see the impact it could have on the state of California alone. I wonder what reusing plastic to build roads might do to the CA budget, environment and quality of the roads.

In India, it would be interesting to see the impact it might have on society. It has the possibility to bring high incentives to recycling and to change the process of waste management in general. We in the United States could also benefit from such a change. However, as good as the idea sounds, it seems to me that there might be vast negative consequences to this use of plastic on health and the environment. We are told not to reuse plastic water bottles because of the possible consequences and presence of toxic chemicals, why would a road paved out of plastic be any different? Could the soil and water be contaminated as a result of this use of plastic, creating more challenges for India to have to overcome? The innovative ideas surrounding this article are inspiring and I am sure this kind of thinking will lead to greater developments in the future.

]]> By: William Ary http://calpolymbatrip.com/2009/india/plastic-roads-for-india/#comment-17148 William Ary Sun, 29 Nov 2009 05:02:48 +0000 http://calpolymbatrip.com/?p=2210#comment-17148 In my travels through the third world, I was constantly impressed with the locals' ability to take things westerners think of as waste and reuse them in surprising ways. In Botswana for example, bottle caps are reused as musical instrument parts and glass bottles are used as potato mashers. There are even stores selling such re-purposed items. I think this kind of thing is the most effective way of recycling. The future belongs to people who can think outside of the box (or the recycling bin) and find uses for things the rest of the world throws away. The US has become a tremendous consuming entity, using and then throwing away everything, forgetting how many uses there are for things. I truly admire the capacity that people India have to ignore what a product's value is supposed to be and focus on what it could become. Indian companies stand to make a lot of money finding ways to turn our "worthless" garbage into useful product. I can only imagine what they will come up with, unburdened by the preconceptions of American consumerism. In my travels through the third world, I was constantly impressed with the locals’ ability to take things westerners think of as waste and reuse them in surprising ways. In Botswana for example, bottle caps are reused as musical instrument parts and glass bottles are used as potato mashers. There are even stores selling such re-purposed items. I think this kind of thing is the most effective way of recycling. The future belongs to people who can think outside of the box (or the recycling bin) and find uses for things the rest of the world throws away. The US has become a tremendous consuming entity, using and then throwing away everything, forgetting how many uses there are for things. I truly admire the capacity that people India have to ignore what a product’s value is supposed to be and focus on what it could become. Indian companies stand to make a lot of money finding ways to turn our “worthless” garbage into useful product. I can only imagine what they will come up with, unburdened by the preconceptions of American consumerism.

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