Comments on: Banana Plastic: Researchers Create Strong Plastic from Fruit that Rivals Kevlar http://inhabitat.com/banana-plastic-researchers-create-incredibly-strong-plastic-from-fruits/ Green design & eco innovation for a better world Sun, 19 May 2013 18:10:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: mrdegior http://inhabitat.com/banana-plastic-researchers-create-incredibly-strong-plastic-from-fruits/comment-page-1/#comment-319549 mrdegior Sun, 24 Apr 2011 15:50:18 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/?p=233058#comment-319549 Reguarding strength, with fruit based plastics being 4 times stronger; would it be possible to use it to replace building material such as lumber? Could you create "plastic lumber" that is strong enough to build homes with? Reguarding strength, with fruit based plastics being 4 times stronger; would it be possible to use it to replace building material such as lumber? Could you create “plastic lumber” that is strong enough to build homes with?

]]> By: kedwa30 http://inhabitat.com/banana-plastic-researchers-create-incredibly-strong-plastic-from-fruits/comment-page-1/#comment-310470 kedwa30 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 03:54:38 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/?p=233058#comment-310470 "To create the plastic, the leaves and stems of useable plants are cooked in a device similar to a pressure cooker, creating a talcum powder-like substance. " They don't use the fruit, just the parts we don't eat. If anything, this would spur farmers to grow more of these fruits just for the leaves and it might drive down the price of the fruit. Of course there will be farmers that harvest before fruit matures just so they can fit in more crops and this will reduce the amount of food producing farmers and land. Harvesting the leaves and whole plants rather than just the fruit will have a negative impact on the soil since there will no longer be plant material to till under making compost. There is no doubt in my mind that ethanol is a mistake when there are many better technologies available and many others still surfacing. It seems to be that Bush favored ethanol as a way to funnel money to his supporters, not because it was the best choice. “To create the plastic, the leaves and stems of useable plants are cooked in a device similar to a pressure cooker, creating a talcum powder-like substance. ”

They don’t use the fruit, just the parts we don’t eat. If anything, this would spur farmers to grow more of these fruits just for the leaves and it might drive down the price of the fruit. Of course there will be farmers that harvest before fruit matures just so they can fit in more crops and this will reduce the amount of food producing farmers and land. Harvesting the leaves and whole plants rather than just the fruit will have a negative impact on the soil since there will no longer be plant material to till under making compost.
There is no doubt in my mind that ethanol is a mistake when there are many better technologies available and many others still surfacing. It seems to be that Bush favored ethanol as a way to funnel money to his supporters, not because it was the best choice.

]]> By: caeman http://inhabitat.com/banana-plastic-researchers-create-incredibly-strong-plastic-from-fruits/comment-page-1/#comment-310082 caeman Wed, 30 Mar 2011 13:56:22 +0000 http://inhabitat.com/?p=233058#comment-310082 Rock on. Bring it on, replace the petroleum plastics. Question: What effect will this have on food crops? The big complaint with ethanol is that it replaces food crops with energy crops, leading to a shortage of food. If this technology takes off, is my kid's supply of bananas going to be threatened? Rock on. Bring it on, replace the petroleum plastics. Question: What effect will this have on food crops? The big complaint with ethanol is that it replaces food crops with energy crops, leading to a shortage of food. If this technology takes off, is my kid’s supply of bananas going to be threatened?

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