Blog Post 1

Hawaiian Ice’s model S900A ice shaver is an interesting piece of machinery when it comes down to its material and energy costs.  The average life expectancy for the product is estimated to be around 15 years when used on a daily basis.  In that amount of time, one can expect to have shaved almost 5,500 pounds of ice and use a whopping 19,710,000W in the process.  This may seem like a lot, but let’s put that energy use into perspective. 

The same amount of wattage used by the shaved ice machine could also power a 150W light bulb for just short of 14 days of straight use.  That amount of energy is generated in less than two-thirds of a second by the average large-scale hydropower system.  The machine itself is only composed of a small steel blade, a few ounces of plastic, and a standard AC motor.  These materials are inexpensive and are used judiciously in assembly; none of the materials are used excessively, minimizing the environmental impact and material waste.  So, it seems as though the product’s environmental impact is actually one that is fairly friendly.

             The shaved ice machine is also ideal cost-wise for the consumer.  With the costs of the machine itself, energy use, ice required, and replacement blades, one can expect to spend roughly $350 on the product in its lifetime.  Compare that to piecing together a similar product by your lonesome and you will assuredly spend much more in the process. 

            In short, the electric shaved ice machine by Hawaiian Shaved Ice is consumer friendly while still being environmentally cautious.  When the machine eventually breaks down, the plastic could be recycled and the motor could still have potential to be fixed, allowing you to prolong the unit’s life or even use the materials for something new.  All in all, this product has been designed and engineered to be top quality through minimal resources.

By: Ryan Romeo