Library Post: Plant Plastics From Big Think

Today, on the Big Think website, I came across this article.

http://bigthink.com/ideafeed/a-durable-plastic-made-from-cellulose-and-water

Essentially, an Australian company has invented a plastic-type material they call Zeoform. What makes it unique? It's made almost entirely out of plant matter and water. The article explains the process, which entails the compressing of the plant matter, derived from fibrous plants, recycled paper or clothing scraps, and drying the material into pliable plastic-type sheets. The article goes onto explain the potential uses of such a material, and the beneficial impact it could possibly have, both environmentally and economically. They are also taking part in a crowdfunding campaign on the site Indiegogo rather than going corporate.

So, why is this important? Well, obviously, the implications of a biodegradable plastic-type material are astounding. If this material should become commonplace, we would no longer need to be wasting oil to make plastic. (For those of you who were unaware, plastics are processed from oil, and not the kind you cook Italian food with.) Sure, recycling goes on, and many companies are trying to lessen their environmental footprint...but that doesn't mean the footprint is gone. Take the Poland Spring bottles that claim  that they use 35% less plastic than they used to (which they most likely do). That's great - their footprint is now 65% what it was. It's better than nothing, of course, and it's nice to know that they're making the effort; nevertheless, their environmental footprint is enormous, especially when you consider the number of people who buy Poland Spring water bottles. I have a huge case of them in my basement now, as do many Americans. And even though many Americans today recycle their plastic bottles, just as many do not. A significant minority go so far as to abandon their water bottles, and other such pollutants, in the middle of the natural world, a fact that downright disgusts me. If a plastic Poland Spring gets into the environment, it doesn't matter if it's 35% of what it used to be. Depending on the number of bottles and the location, the impact can be anywhere from nonexistent to devastating. Given the article's statement that the company producing the material Zeoform wishes to license itself to other companies rather than, shall we say, go commercial, it's quite possible that companies such as Poland Spring would adopt this eco-friendly alternative to plastic. This would create new jobs, which our debt-ridden economy desperately needs. Given that many people today wish to be more environmentally conscious, this would provide more revenue for Poland Spring, and allow them to pay for such careers. A win-win situation, don't you think? Of course, testing would need to be done, to ensure that such a product is safe for people, but in the end, I think that we may be onto something here.