Mushroom Packaging

Americans may not think much about what goes into the plastic packaging material they take for granted in everyday products. Most modern packaging materials are made from polystyrene and other synthetics that are not only made from petroleum, but also take a lot of energy to make.

But Ecovative Designs does. Ecovative is working to change that by developing a line of environmentally friendly packaging materials made from mushrooms and agricultural byproducts. Founded by a pair of engineers, the company is working to make not only a replacement for styrofoam "peanuts" but a variety of other materials from home insulation to kitchen counters.

Special Correspondent Josh Zepps takes us into the woods to see why mushrooms could be nature's perfect packing, and to Ecovative's labs to see how a few cottonseed husks and some mushroom cells can grow into something useful and beneficial for the environment.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• stuffed mushrooms
• sauteed mushrooms
• baked mushrooms
• mushroom stew
• mushroom pot pie
• packing
• packaging
• fungi
• fungus
• mushroom
• lab
• laboratory
• styrofoam
• packages
• eco cradle
• eco
• Ecovative
• alternative
• mycelium
• outdoors
• plants
• Josh Zepps
• energy
• energynow
• Eben Bayer
• trash
• landfill
• environment
• Sam Harrington
• cotton gin
• Sue Van Hook
• sustainable
• mycelia
• mold
• insulation
• fire proof
• fossil fuel
• technology
• edible
• now
• energy now

[GraceFrankHerman]

How will this packaging affect the health of individuals with fungi sensitivities?

Will unpacking ones EcoCradle wrapped item cause fungi ignited cancers and other diseases?

[Verde830]

I can't believe he put that in this mouth! Yay to the future!