The Humanium Metal Initiative is a new pro bono campaign from Stockholm creative agencies Great Works and Akestam Holst that aims to make material from melted guns viable for consumer use. The project, which is now making metal from guns found in Central America, recently received the Fast Company‘s 2018 World Changing Ideas Award. The ultimate goal of the Humanium Metal Initiative is to show a practice in which guns can be used to heal the wounds they have caused.
A big part of the initiative is aimed at ensuring that the weapon repurposing effort was publicly traceable and that all proceeds would go back to local partner organizations. To ensure this, the agencies partnered with IM Swedish Development Partner to ensure the money made from this venture was being returned to the local communities battling poverty and violence in their area. The Humanium Metal Initiative has already received several celebrity endorsements, from the Dalai Lama, former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix, Archbishop Desmond Tutu and many more.
Repurposed Gun Initatives
The Humanium Metal Initiative Helps End the Global Gun Crisis
Trend Themes
1. Gun-metal Recycling - Transforming gun metal waste into consumer goods, providing a sustainable solution for a global gun crisis.
2. Transparent Traceability - Demand for transparent reporting systems to ensure proceeds directly benefit local communities combating poverty and violence.
3. Celebrity Endorsements for Cause Marketing - Celebrities partnering with social impact campaigns to raise awareness for global issues.
Industry Implications
1. Environmental Conservation - Disruptive innovation opportunity in upcycling materials and transforming them into new and sustainable consumer goods.
2. Blockchain Technology - Opportunity for implementing a transparent and traceable reporting system using blockchain technology to provide accountability and increase trust in fiscal responsibility.
3. Nonprofit and Cause Marketing - Opportunity to collaborate with celebrities and influencers to support social impact initiatives, increase awareness, and generate community engagement.