Mushrooms Lighting the Way?
Mushrooms have innovative uses
Mushrooms may hold the key to reducing our dependence on plastic.
Some quick facts on our plastic consumption:
- About 10–20 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans
- 22-43% of all plastic ends up in landfills — wasted potential
- Almost every piece of plastic ever created still exists today
Ecovative, a sustainable biomaterials company, has been partnering with various designers and studios, providing kits so that the designers can grow the material themselves. Danielle Trofe Design is growing lampshades, planters, and other items using mycelium (the vegetative part of fungus). Check out this video on how it’s done:
Another company, MycoWorks, is using mycelium as a leather substitute. They made a video describing the potential of mycelium — check it out!
Nature often our best tool — let’s strive to use it sustainably and in creative and innovative ways.
Let’s have fun with fungi,
Claudia A.
References:
Eco360. Plastic Garbage http://www.sustainablecommunication.org/eco360/what-is-eco360s-causes/plastic-garbage (accessed Oct 7, 2016).
Gourmelon, G. Global Plastic Production Rises, Recycling Lags http://www.worldwatch.org/global-plastic-production-rises-recycling-lags-0 (accessed Oct 7, 2016).
‘Magic’ mushrooms grow into furniture http://www.cnn.com/2016/09/16/world/ecovative-mushroom-furniture/index.html (accessed Sep 22, 2016).
