There are a lot of problems right now concerning the environment. Ozone hole, CO2 overload, global warming and I could go on for two pages. But there is one old enemy which is recognizable by a 5 years old as well, and that is plastic. Everything about it is bad: its production is noxious for our planet and its whole existence is harmful. Animals suffer and die because of it (think about the happy feet penguin), ecosystems are destroyed by it... plastic is pure evil.
BUT
Yes, there's a but.
What if there was a way of making plastic good? What if there was a way to turn it into something environment/animal friendly? At first, I thought it couldn't be possible but I found out that there is a way! I've never been happier to be wrong.
In fact, a group of researchers, from the University of Oregon, found a plan to tackle this problem. They created a start-up called AlgoteK, which basically creates plastic from algae. Let me explain how.
BUT
Yes, there's a but.
What if there was a way of making plastic good? What if there was a way to turn it into something environment/animal friendly? At first, I thought it couldn't be possible but I found out that there is a way! I've never been happier to be wrong.
In fact, a group of researchers, from the University of Oregon, found a plan to tackle this problem. They created a start-up called AlgoteK, which basically creates plastic from algae. Let me explain how.
First, they grow algae in salted water, and this solves the first problem regarding the pollution caused by the industries. In fact there is plenty of room in the see and there is not only no production of CO2 during the process but algae actually absorb it during their growth, so they help cleaning the sea from the accumulation of greenhouse gasses.
Then they transform algae in plastic, managing to make it edible. That means that if you don't need the plastic product anymore, you can simply wash it away. If you throw it in the water it doesn't kill animals, it simply vanish. Moreover this procedure produces zero dangerous waste, which means that there is some waste but it can all be recycled and there is no harm for the environment.
And finally, also the aspect of the distribution of the product (we often forget that it increases in most cases our carbon footprint) it is a success because algae can be grown almost everywhere and there is no need for long distance transportation.
Cool, isn't it? Let's see how this fantastic solution will evolve in the future.
Then they transform algae in plastic, managing to make it edible. That means that if you don't need the plastic product anymore, you can simply wash it away. If you throw it in the water it doesn't kill animals, it simply vanish. Moreover this procedure produces zero dangerous waste, which means that there is some waste but it can all be recycled and there is no harm for the environment.
And finally, also the aspect of the distribution of the product (we often forget that it increases in most cases our carbon footprint) it is a success because algae can be grown almost everywhere and there is no need for long distance transportation.
Cool, isn't it? Let's see how this fantastic solution will evolve in the future.