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When bicycle enthusiast Izhar Gafni first heard of a boat made of cardboard, the seed of an idea was planted. Now, five years later, the 50-year-old entrepreneur is almost ready to mass produce his eco masterpiece: a fire- and water-resistant bicycle, which he hopes to sell for just $20 apiece. The bike is made of recycled cardboard, recycled car tire rubber and other organic raw materials, and contains no metal parts.
The super-strong vehicle can hold up to 24 times its own weight (20lbs), making it a perfect transportation solution for congested Western cities. And for poorer countries in Asia and Africa, Cardboard Technologies has written a business model which takes advantage of rebates for using "green" materials to bring down production costs and allow for the bikes to be given away for free.
The Israeli company is currently raising money using crowdfunding site Indiegogo, in order to start production on three different models including a cardboard wheelchair. It also has an innovative ambassador program, encouraging social media fans to spread the word and collect "Green Wheel" points, which they can convert into bikes and other perks.
As CardboardTechnologies likes to say, cardboard may indeed be the new green.
[Source: Cardboard Technologies and Reuters]
