On the streets of Campina Grande, Brazil, it's a common sight to see piles of cast-away tires building up against the buildings. With nowhere else to stay, homeless animals often seek shelter within the growing heaps, curling up inside the tires for warmth and safety.
Walking along the streets of his home, artist and entrepreneur Amarildo Silva was struck with a wonderful idea.
Instead of leaving the tires to end up in a landfill, Silva decided to upcycle them into eco-friendly beds for animals.
Starting the company Cãominhas Pets, Silva began walking the streets of Brazil, collecting the used tires to use in his new venture.
With a focus on sustainability, Cãominhas Pets does its best to make Brazil a cleaner, happier place.
Scrubbing the tires out, they remove the rim, sew cushions, and begin giving them a complete (extremely adorable) makeover.
Painting the tires in happy colors and designs, the beds are filled with comfortable foam bedding, waterproof material, and sturdy handles for easy mobility.
In an email with Green Matters, Silva estimates that "over the course of two years, I already removed 1,500 units of old tires from the environment making only the [pet beds]".
Expanding further into more than just animal beds, the company also makes custom tire furniture; doing their part to reduce Brazil's ecological footprint.
By his own guess, Silva believes that the total number of tires repurposed is somewhere between 5,000 and 6,000 tires.
Gaining renown in his community, Silva's work has been featured at local community events and online publications; spreading the message that actions, not words, are what make effective change.
Currently only filling orders in a few Brazilian states, Silva nevertheless has hopes of expanding his business worldwide.
To learn more about Amarildo Silva's efforts, watch Caters Clips's YouTube video (especially if you want to see an adorable litter of kittens crawling about in a tire).
What do you think of Silva's business venture? Do you know of anyone doing something similar near you? Let us know in the comments below.
