Researchers develop biodegradable substitutes for wood, plastic bottles and other common materials

conversation, mute! President Obama just address the question at his online town hall. He addressed the issue point blank. No he does not see hemp as a way to grow our economy, and slickly laughed.

I really haven't been posting because I thought it was funny, snicker, snicker. Sad!

I have turned off my television. I am turning off politics. It's all just bull shit spin. Making people think they are listening. nuff said.

It doesn't matter who is in power, the war on drugs will continue. Money talks! And there is large sums to be made off the war on drugs.

Wow! Finally a biodegradable substitute for wood...

This is great news!!!!! This should be on main stream news. I am glad I can get good news sometimes from this site.

The time is now!
Maybe if we all start growing and using hemp regardless of what the gov. says; they'll realize the possibilities?!
This could help save our planet folks!

can you smoke plastic resin?

wood vs hemp biocomposites

Recycling methane

Unlike wood scraps that can sit in landfills for months or years, hemp-PHB biocomposites decompose a few weeks after burial. As they degrade, they release methane gas that can be captured and burned for energy recovery or re-used to make more biocomposites.

"It dawned on us that there are microbes that can make PHB from methane," Criddle said. "So now we're combining two natural processes: We're using microbes that break down PHB plastics and release methane gas, and different organisms that consume methane and produce PHB as a byproduct."

It's the ultimate in recycling, he said: "In our lab, we create conditions where only those organisms that accumulate the most plastic can reproduce. We call the process 'survival of the fattest,' and we have a patent application for it."

Capturing methane has the added benefit of combating climate change, Criddle said, noting that methane gas from landfills and other sources is a powerful global warming agent, 22 times more potent than carbon dioxide gas.

One reason that biodegradable plastics aren't widely used is cost. "We're competing with polypropylene and polyethylene, two really cheap petrochemical products," Criddle said. "Most bioplastics are made using sugar from corn and other relatively expensive materials. But our process uses methane in the biogas from landfills and wastewater treatment plants, which is essentially free."

The potential of producing low-cost, recyclable biocomposites has caught the attention of the private sector. In the next few months, the researchers expect to form a new startup company with venture capital funding.

reading more than the cover is a good thing no matter what it is

Exactly!

Cool!

rickm8, wood is biodegradable, but every time wood biodegrades, it is a biodegrading tree. We don't have to cut down all the trees, just because we can. Our ecosystem needs trees. People will always want wood furniture, but many of the other things, could be made out of a much more renewable plant, hemp.

Aside from the biodegradable facts, cannabis hemp has so many uses, which should be explored. President Obama has stated his views about bringing back science. We should be talking about cannabis hemp. The war on drugs and the placement of cannabis hemp on the dangerous substance list, makes research and development a crime.

Thanks to the diligence of Jack Herer and others, the facts are no longer hidden. We know. Ordinary Americans have been misled. We did not learn the true industrial history of hemp. The cannabis prohibition has been successful in removing important facts from our educational material. Many people don’t know the history of cannabis hemp. It’s time for change. The war on drugs has created more problems than it has solved. It’s time to stop throwing money into warehousing non-violent drug offenders and start investing in new industrial and medicinal uses of cannabis hemp. People need jobs. We don’t need a war on cannabis.

We all need to start daily video podcast's about our smoking habits/beliefs. I get my new comp next week and would love to show the world the many faces of cannabis users!

They have been making car door interior panels out of a similar product for years. I am looking forward to seeing more widespread use.

wood is biodegradable and YOU'RE USING PLASTIC, anyone besides me know where plastic comes from....also this was a project started by monsanto for all of you lovers of that organization, which was forced to quit production of it in 2004, and as such the patents for its production have thus been sold off

i hate to like, say this? but isn't wood biodegradable? lol

If it weren't for the 'war on drugs' this would be mainstream news. A plant which can make **biodegradable** substitutes for wood, plastic bottles, etc. This is news we could use!

Our landfills are full. Our oceans are drowning in *non-biodegradable* plastic, harming wildlife. One would think this would be mainstream news. Unfortunately, the war on drugs, puts fear in many who should be reporting this discovery. Instead it will probably go unnoticed by ordinary Americans who would benefit from the discovery. No one will tell them, cause we are at war with the very plant needed to make the new biodegradable plastic. It's an "Assault on Reason".

I don't know if they would be making throne, but maybe you could sit in the privacy of your own home and smoke a bong, without fear of drug warriors breaking down your door and taking you to jail for it.

The time has come for America to realize the 'War on Drugs' has hurt America. We have more people in prison than any other country in the world. It's time to move past the war on cannabis and move toward cannabis legalization, offering us the opportunity to explore the facts about cannabis and it’s many uses.

Declaring war on a plant, which has so many uses, is an "Assault on Reason". We can not afford to walk away from a plant, which could contribute to our recovery, both economically and environmentally. Cannabis is 100% biodegradable. It removes many toxins from the air during growth and provides potential for new markets in many areas when harvested.