Billions of tonnes of garbage ends up in the oceans and landfills each year. In an effort to lessen that number and breathe new life into reusable waste, Amarildo Silva from Brazil, has developed a simple yet valuable hobby for sustainability by making animal beds from used tires.
How it All Started –
An Ecological Initiative
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure- you must have heard the saying. Amarildo Silva got it rolling and turned other people’s trash into comfortable beds for animals on and off the streets.
His Story of Making Animal Beds from Used Tires
He is a store cashier by day and craftsman by night. This 23-year old artist has been collecting discarded tires from the streets and turning them into eco-friendly animal beds. Silva who lives in Campina Grande, Brazil, noticed how many stray dogs used tires as shelter on the street and got this idea.
Silva builds these sustainable beds by cleaning each tire, giving it a fresh coat of paint, and installing a tiny mattress in the center.
He started selling the tire beds two years ago to earn a little extra money for his family which also helped keep his city streets clean. Eventually, this led him to start his own business, “Caominhas Pets”. He then started marketing his creations on Instagram and has sold over 500 beds. He also turned the tires into pretty flower pots and gardening containers.
Making it Big
Currently, he is only fulfilling orders for people in two states of Brazil, but he has dreams of expanding worldwide. There are people from all over the world who are interested in buying these beds, but he does not have the means to deliver them. In order to gain some capital investment, he has made an appeal to companies or investors who would like to help him with the same. This way they can have more people buy sustainable products, and everyone will be doing their part with environmental awareness.
Silva, the Philanthropist
Silva is also dedicated to helping the environment in several other ways, on top of running Caominhas Pets Official. He donates a portion of his proceeds to nonprofit organizations that care for sick animals with food, medication and surgeries. Additionally, he teaches students at school workshops, the importance of sustainability and how to convert old tires into practical products.
Image: Green Matters, Bored Panda
Read more: INVICTUS
Like & Follow ThinkRight.me on Facebook and Instagram to stay connected.
