Sustainability is the first major target of most environmentalists. Looking for renewable energy sources is a definite goal in this field of study nowadays. It is often disregarded that biomass from municipal waste can be used as renewable energy sources. Some energy plants are considering municipal wastes such as grass and organic waste materials as feedstock to their facilities. Another special material that can be considered as a renewable source is the Bioplastic.
It is called bioplastic because the polymer of this material is biodegradable. The polymer is still made of carbon element chains, but can be easily biodegraded by bacteria. This has made the material a good substitute to our domestic plastic polymers. Studies show that the fungus can be used as a base material in producing organic polymers or bioplastics (Beyer, 2010). Additionally, the speech made by Beyer has struck the minds of many environmentalists. This is mainly because that the feasibility of this material has been increased by a remarkable figure.
Another phenomenal invention of bioplastic is the corn-based bioplastic. It is said that it emits 68% lesser greenhouse gases than other common plastics. Moreover, the production of this material only needs 65% lower than that of standard production of plastics (Royte, 2006).
Bioplastics are very feasible material that can be made from organic wastes. Cow manure can also be used as a renewable material source. Evidently, this is a solution to green technology. Bioplastics are efficient and effective in lowering the levels of carbon in the atmosphere. It can also contribute to the lower energy usage of plants. I also believe that further research about these materials must also be conducted. The lifespan of these materials is also a plus factor if they are commonly used in a domestic setting. Regardless, they are good renewable energy materials.
Work Cited
Beyer, Eben. "Eben Bayer: Are Mushrooms the New Plastic? | TED Talk | TED.com."TED: Ideas Worth Spreading. N.p., 2010. Web. 2 July 2015.
Royte, Elizabeth. "Corn Plastic to the Rescue | Science." Smithsonian. N.p., Aug. 2006. Web. 2 July 2015.
