# I've always wondered.



## TrollingHard (Jul 13, 2010)

What is the impact of Rubik's cube plastic to the environment?

I don't think anyone(except you) ever gave a second thought to what this does to the environment...

...?


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## Chapuunka (Jul 13, 2010)

The same as any other plastic.


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## pr*****t (Jul 13, 2010)

what do u mean.....? r u referring to the plastic waste resulting from throwing away the old worn out cubes? 
well i never thought of it... but im more worried about side effects of silicon spray to ourselves.


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## Kirjava (Jul 13, 2010)

oh noes! the environment!

Earth has survived a lot worse than a bunch of plastic.


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## Daniel Wu (Jul 13, 2010)

pr*****t said:


> im more worried about side effects of silicon spray to ourselves.


lol. Me too.


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## ~Phoenix Death~ (Jul 13, 2010)

rickcube said:


> pr*****t said:
> 
> 
> > im more worried about side effects of silicon spray to ourselves.
> ...



Stop breathing it.


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## spdqbr (Jul 13, 2010)

~Phoenix Death~ said:


> rickcube said:
> 
> 
> > pr*****t said:
> ...



But then the elephants go away...


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## uberCuber (Jul 13, 2010)

trust me, we need to worry about ourselves a lot more than Earth


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## Kirjava (Jul 13, 2010)

uberCuber said:


> trust me, we need to worry about ourselves a lot more than Earth




THE NESTENE CONSCIOUSNESS WILL KILL US ALL


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## James Ludlow (Jul 13, 2010)

There is enough evidence out there I'm sure to convince you that actually, everything we are pumping out into the atmosphere has very little, if anything, to do with global warming. 
Was anyone aware that between 1940-1980, the Earth experienced a period of cooling, and this was what was getting everyone worried? Not Global Warming. 


Lowell Ponte - 1976 said:


> "It is a cold fact: the Global Cooling presents humankind with the most important social, political, and adaptive challenge we have had to deal with for ten thousand years. Your stake in the decisions we make concerning it is of ultimate importance; the survival of ourselves, our children, our species,"



Stop worrying yourselves. Really. It will all be fine.

Try reading this article.
There's plenty more info out there.

So carrying on driving your V8s, continue to leave unecessary appliances on, recycle less, choose decorating products with high VOCs. And please don't stop manufacturing Rubik's Cubes.


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## koreancuber (Jul 13, 2010)

I've always been wondering... you trollin?


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## Chapuunka (Jul 13, 2010)

jamesdeanludlow said:


> And please don't stop manufacturing Rubik's Cubes.



Most important.


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## Whyusosrs? (Jul 13, 2010)

Yes. The earth goes through cycles of heating/cooling.

And as for the harm if rubik's cubes in the environment, there aren't enough cubes thrown out each year to do anything. Besides, who cares?


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## Feryll (Jul 13, 2010)

Chapuunka said:


> jamesdeanludlow said:
> 
> 
> > And please don't stop manufacturing Rubik's Cubes.
> ...



I really don't care about the Rubik's cubes. Just please, don't stop making the magic cubes!


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## xbrandationx (Jul 13, 2010)

jamesdeanludlow said:


> There is enough evidence out there I'm sure to convince you that actually, everything we are pumping out into the atmosphere has very little, if anything, to do with global warming.
> Was anyone aware that between 1940-1980, the Earth experienced a period of cooling, and this was what was getting everyone worried? Not Global Warming.
> 
> 
> ...



okay you just started talking about global warming out of nowhere


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## Cride5 (Jul 13, 2010)

xbrandationx said:


> jamesdeanludlow said:
> 
> 
> > There is enough evidence out there I'm sure to convince you that actually, everything we are pumping out into the atmosphere has very little, if anything, to do with global warming.
> ...



Yup, and just like the issue in this thread, its the biggest non-issue we're faced with today


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## Chapuunka (Jul 13, 2010)

Silly Al Gore.


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## jackdexter75 (Jul 13, 2010)

I've never thought about it 'cause I couldn't freaking care less.


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## Mike Hughey (Jul 13, 2010)

koreancuber said:


> I've always been wondering... you trollin?


Hardtrollin.


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## Dene (Jul 13, 2010)

Whatever should I care about the environment?


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## PatrickJameson (Jul 13, 2010)

pr*****t said:


> throwing away the old worn out cubes



:'(


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## Crosshash (Jul 13, 2010)

jamesdeanludlow said:


> So carrying on driving your V8s, continue to leave unecessary appliances on, recycle less, choose decorating products with high VOCs. And please don't stop manufacturing Rubik's Cubes.



Just because it's becoming firmly accepted that global warming isn't a manmade phenomenon doesn't mean you should live such a wasteful life.

Regardless, everything the developed world has created has brought forth an impact on the environment.

Smog clouds, acid rain, deforestation, oil refining, it's all manmade and it's destroying the environment. The wasteful lives people live is the reason why petrol prices have become so high so quickly.

Just because global warming is fictional doesn't mean people should lead wasteful lives. There's going to be serious problems in the next couple of centuries should it happen (in before we're all dead so who should care).

I'm not even a hippy.


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## Cride5 (Jul 13, 2010)

Crosshash said:


> Regardless, everything the developed world has created has brought forth an impact on the environment.
> 
> Smog clouds, acid rain, deforestation, oil refining, it's all manmade and it's destroying the environment. The wasteful lives people live is the reason why petrol prices have become so high so quickly.
> 
> Just because global warming is fictional doesn't mean people should lead wasteful lives. There's going to be serious problems in the next couple of centuries should it happen (in before we're all dead so who should care).




The solution..


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## ~Phoenix Death~ (Jul 13, 2010)

Cride5 said:


> Crosshash said:
> 
> 
> > Regardless, everything the developed world has created has brought forth an impact on the environment.
> ...


I gotta use condoms now? Tell me that earlier...


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## aronpm (Jul 13, 2010)

Crosshash said:


> Just because it's becoming firmly accepted that global warming isn't a manmade phenomenon doesn't mean you should live such a wasteful life.


I don't think it's 'firmly accepted' that it isn't a man-made phenomenon at all.


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## Metroidam11 (Jul 14, 2010)

TrollingHard said:


> What is the impact of Rubik's cube plastic to the environment?
> 
> I don't think anyone(except you) ever gave a second thought to what this does to the environment...
> 
> ...?



You're right. No one has given a second though because it is not worth worrying about.


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## dillonbladez (Jul 14, 2010)

jamesdeanludlow said:


> There is enough evidence out there I'm sure to convince you that actually, everything we are pumping out into the atmosphere has very little, if anything, to do with global warming.
> Was anyone aware that between 1940-1980, the Earth experienced a period of cooling, and this was what was getting everyone worried? Not Global Warming.
> 
> 
> ...



Good point. While this may be all true, regardless of how little the impact is, we should still try to reduce it. Driving our V8s, continuing to leave unnecessary appliances on, and recycling less shouldn't be done (except when needed. The "recycling less" part is something you can always do.)

@OP
I've never given a second to think about this, actually...


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## Toquinha1977 (Jul 14, 2010)

In relation to other consumer products currently on the market, I think that the manufacturing, distribution, and use Rubik's Cubes and other puzzles probably generates a significantly smaller carbon footprint. My reasons:

-While mass produced, they currently appeal to a niche, specialized demographic. While just about everybody has a cell phone and an iPod, a much smaller number of people regularly collects cubes.
-Compare the proliferation of cube puzzles to other mass produced goods, especially consumer electronics, and cubing will definitely have a lower carbon footprint, as well as generate fewer toxic chemicals. Laptops, video game platforms, MP3 players, cell phones. The amount of energy required to produce them, the amount of packaging, the fact that many of them contain a lot more plastic and metal, and the fact that they also use grid power, whcih contribues to CO2 outputs, generally makes them much more pollutive. Also, consumer electronics contain a lot of heavy metals (mercury, lead) and other toxic chemicals (PCBs, volatile organic compounds) and need to be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner to avoid polluting the groundwater.
-Cubes generally aren't "disposable" in the same way as a lot of commodity products are, such as clothing, electronics, and housewares. There are people that replace their cell phones and computers once a year. How often do you guys throw cubes away? If ever?

As far as cube collecting/speedsolving goes, it's not exactly joining Greenpeace and giving up your car.

-All cubes purchased in stores have a ton of packaging which takes up a stupid amount of space. Consider the space taken up by a 3x3x3 Rubik's Cube in clamshell packaging, and how many boxes will fill up a case. If 12 3x3x3s in clamshell packaging can fit in a case, how many unpackaged 3x3x3s will fit in the same case? I would estimate at least 60, probably more. Even if you take into account cushioning to protect the merchandise, you could easily double the number of saleable units in a case with smaller packaging. Hex packaging is even worse, but at least you now have a box that you can reuse if you want. Admittedly, excessive packaging deters shoplifters, but considering that smaller, pocketable items with higher retail value do not have this much packaging, it's a little excessive. Ear bud headphones can go for $20 or so, are very easy to shoplift, yet come in small packages.
-Cubes are predominantly made of plastic, a petroleum byproduct. Considering the environmental and political problems we're having due to our oil addiction (BP oil spill, political tensions in the middle east, etc.), we could do better.
-Cubes are mostly manufactured in China and has to travel a pretty long distance to get to where you live. 
-The consumers generally aren't aware of what type of plastic is being used (most likely ABS, but can also be nylon, polypropylene (PP), high impact polystyrene (HIPS), or high density polyethylene (HDPE), making recycling a worn out cube pretty difficult. It's highly likely that the plastic isn't recycled either. 

I think there is some level of progress, however...

-Cubes are a lot lighter than before, utilizing hollow pieces and less plastic, which means less materials and less energy required to ship.
-Online retailers of cubes ship most of their products with minimal packaging, with many stopping at a resealable plastic baggie. Even Rubiks.com allows for the option of no packaging on certain items.


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## shelley (Jul 14, 2010)

Toquinha1977 said:


> In relation to other consumer products currently on the market, I think that the manufacturing, distribution, and use Rubik's Cubes and other puzzles probably generates a significantly smaller carbon footprint. My reasons:
> 
> -While mass produced, they currently appeal to a niche, specialized demographic. While just about everybody has a cell phone and an iPod, a much smaller number of people regularly collects cubes.
> -Compare the proliferation of cube puzzles to other mass produced goods, especially consumer electronics, and cubing will definitely have a lower carbon footprint, as well as generate fewer toxic chemicals. Laptops, video game platforms, MP3 players, cell phones. The amount of energy required to produce them, the amount of packaging, the fact that many of them contain a lot more plastic and metal, and the fact that they also use grid power, whcih contribues to CO2 outputs, generally makes them much more pollutive. Also, consumer electronics contain a lot of heavy metals (mercury, lead) and other toxic chemicals (PCBs, volatile organic compounds) and need to be disposed of in an environmentally sound manner to avoid polluting the groundwater.
> -Cubes generally aren't "disposable" in the same way as a lot of commodity products are, such as clothing, electronics, and housewares. There are people that replace their cell phones and computers once a year. How often do you guys throw cubes away? If ever?



Thank you for the first reasonable post in this thread. Come on guys, we know speedcubing is getting more popular than it has been in the past, but don't get delusional. We're still a very very small fraction of the population.


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