When Phra Mahapranom Dhammalangkaro became the abbot of Bangkok's Chak Daeng Temple, he found the grounds littered with garbage.
"Back then, people thought that when they threw garbage in the river, then it's done," he told Climate Heroes. "But fish died, turtles died, and dugongs died."
Under Dhammalangkaro's management, the temple began composting, but no one knew what to do with the plastic waste. Dhammalangkaro started researching and made an exciting discovery.
"Since PET plastic can be made into fabric, I came up with the idea of making it into monastic robes."
Now, Dhammalangkaro is taking local action to upcycle the city's plastic waste into the brightly-colored orange robes used by the monks.
Recycling isn't a new concept for Buddhist monks. Around 2,600 years ago, the Buddha suggested making robes from discarded cloth. Inspired, Dhammalangkaro asked community members to donate plastic bottles instead of throwing them away.
The bottles were compressed into bales and shipped to a factory. After being crushed into fibers, the fabric returned to Chak Daeng, where seamstresses could sew the robes.
Despite initial skepticism, once people saw what was possible, their mindset changed. The temple began to receive plastic from all over.
"People see that since it can be made into many useful things, they want to participate," Dhammalangkaro explained.
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Giving me money back 💰 The circular cycle continues as worn-out robes are recycled into bed sheets, old sheets are turned into cleaning cloths, and then they are eventually mixed into plaster.
Dhammalangkaro aims to transform material waste in the same way Buddhists use mindful meditation to transform "brain waste" into something positive.
"We need to clean material waste out, as well as cleaning the waste in the brain," he told Climate Heroes. "And then, we will find true happiness."
Much of the plastic we recycle often ends up as trash. PBS reported that 950 million tons of U.S. plastic waste meant for recycling was sent to Southeast Asia. The majority winds up in canals and rivers, then the ocean. Thailand ranks as the world's sixth largest contributor to ocean waste, according to National Geographic.
Removing plastic waste from waterways before it reaches the ocean prevents it from breaking down into dangerous microplastics — tiny fragments that can be toxic to humans and wildlife.
Dhammalangkaro was inspired to take action and restore the Chao Phraya River, Bangkok's busiest waterway, to the pristine state he remembered from his childhood.
Chak Daeng Temple hosts annual cleaning days for the community to remove trash from the river. Dhammalangkaro has partnered with Seven Clean Seas to launch a solar-powered boat that collects plastic waste.
Chak Daeng has been transformed from a Buddhist temple into a recycling plant, upcycling over 331 tons of plastic waste per year, reported The Guardian.
The temple is exploring recycling methods for more materials, like turning foam food containers into bricks.
Dhammalangkaro is hopeful about the example the temple has set.
"When the knowledge is created, plastic waste will be gone," he said in Climate Heroes' video.
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