Reuse

If you have ever worked in a hospital's basement, or perhaps in a biology laboratory, you will recognize these: autoclaves.  An autoclave, under pressure, heats anything within it to 250deg F - enough to kill almost any microbe. 

I had noticed that the gloves I typically use on the general ward for minor procedures were wrapped in white paper, taped shut.  What I noticed today is that those gloves are taped shut with autoclave tape.  Then I learned where they are from - they are used once in the operating theatre, then cleaned, rewrapped, autoclaved, and sent to the ward.  What I can't understand, though, is why the only size they ever seem to have on the ward is 6 1/2 (I'm an 8).

This is a pattern: when we ride on a vangari (earlier post) the front forks are, often as not, reinforced with welded rebar.  Anything can be reused and repaired here.  On the way to the market, you pass shop after shop  - machine shops where very creative solutions are employed to repair motorcycles, bicycles, vangaris, anything.  Your average autobody is 50% bondo.  An random engine can be mounted on almost anything.  Bicycle seats are made from old tires.  Mudflaps from old inner tubes.

I think the entire country of Bangladesh may have a smaller carbon footprint than I do.