A new type of plastic derived from corn starch is touted as a practical solution to the ever-growing menace of the Plastics, but if implemented successfully, could be the one major move that will throw the now-simmering global food crisis into a freaking nightmare.
A story on the POPSCI website reports that Missouri S&T scientists are working on a biodegradable polyester that could be the solution to the problem of the plastics. Plastic bags are a popular villain in these eco-friendly times, what with them being produced by the million every year and left to sit forever and ever in landfills, never biodegradable. But researchers at the Missouri University of Science and Technology are furiously developing hybrid plastics that would hopefully biodegrade within four months.
If used in the ubiquitous plastic grocery bags, it could make a huge difference in our nations landfills, greatly reducing the amount of waste, as opposed to currently used plastic that has the amazing ability to stick around forever, polluting everything. And this new bio-plastic could be used in other things as well, such as product packaging, which would be a huge victory for the environment.
It is a major victory for the green movement, isn't it? The single greatest menace to pollution, apart from fossil fuels and hydrocarbons, bio-degrading after a relatively short 4 months. It sure does feel like a major breakthrough. But why am I not happy, why does it feel like the pre-cursor to an even bigger crisis?
Using food to manufacture plastic. Yeah right, thats a great idea!
Polylactic acid is a polyester derived from corn starch which decomposes and mineralizes into water and carbon dioxide when composted. It's already being used in some brands of compostable "plastic" bags. The research team is working to blend the acid with other bio- and oil-based polymers to find the right kinds of resins for commercial use.
Another crap idea from some brilliant minds that can't look two feet into the future. Why don't we just start building everything out of things people eat, like rice or some other staple food? In an era of a simmering global food crisis, they come out with this, a brilliant move, you guys. To hell with hunger! To hell with deforestation!
Once again, self-proclaimed "environmentalists" prescribe a "cure" that makes everything far, far worse.
Here's what an article in Britain's (very left-wing) "The Guardian" newspaper says:
"The substitutes can increase emissions of greenhouse gases on landfill sites, some need high temperatures to decompose and others cannot be recycled in Britain. Many of the bioplastics are also contributing to the global food crisis by taking over large areas of land previously used to grow crops for human consumption."
More here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/26/waste.pollution
There is only so much land on our earth that is exploitable for farming, and quite frankly even that is not enough. There needs to be a balance somewhere... REUSE,REUSE,REUSE for SUSTAINABILITY, lets not try to figure out how to use more resources, lets just make current products durable enough to last for MANY uses. Reusable Shopping Bags are the best course of action, and they are already in everyday use.
Many retailers in Europe and America are doing their bit by urging customers to switch over to BYOB(Bring Your Own Bag) and also selling their own reusable shopping bags. Top retailers like WholeFoods, IKEA, Giant Eagle, Toys R Us are making honest efforts to wean shoppers off plastic shopping bags and replace them with reusable bags. As part of Earth Month 2008, Walmart & Kellogs partnered to give away one million custom-made reusable shopping bags on Saturday, April 19th at 8AM local time.
