I love packaging, I work in packaging and I think I stare at labels and ingredient statements longer than the average person. I was at Costco yesterday buying supplies for a work function and came across these plastic cups that were plant based. Amazing. I’ve heard of such things, but hadn’t physically seen such product.
This type of movement, to plant based substrates is exciting and a positive step in the right direction.
Now, what exactly is this stuff made from?
It’s made from PLA. What the heck is PLA? Here’s a definition from Ecoproducts.com:
“What is PLA?
PLA stands for polylactic acid, or Polylactide, a versatile polymer produced by NatureWorks LLC. PLA is made from lactic acid. Lactic acid is made from dextrose by fermentation. Dextrose is made from starch and starch is made from carbon dioxide and water. Ingeo™ biopolymer is the world’s first and only performance plastic made from 100% annually renewable resources. It offers the cost and performance necessary to compete with traditional petroleum-based materials in the packaging and serviceware markets. Clear and strong like petroleum-based plastic, but with the crucial benefit of being commercially compostable.
The basic raw materials for the biopolymerare carbon dioxide and water. Growing plants, like corn, take these building blocks from the atmosphere and the soil. They are combined in the plant to make carbohydrates (sucrose and starch) through a process driven by sunlight called photosynthesis.”
Pretty neat stuff!
I’m always looking for greener products and ways to reduce my carbon footprint. I highly suggest looking out for such products and being diligent about the three R’s, reduce, reuse and recycle. Yes, I know I sound like a broken record, but it’s getting pretty gross out there with landfills piling up in the Northern Pacific Ocean and the food chain.
Here’s a neat way to reuse computers:
Recycled computers from Sustainability Ninja
Whatever you decide to do, trying to make your consumption habits green a little each time will be helpful in the long run.
Have an awesome weekend everyone!
Ps. This has totally sounded like an episode of Captain Planet, which ruled, by the way.
Captain Planet
