In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Art and Hyundai Motor Group have picked renewable materials as two of the inaugural winners of their Excellence in Sustainability and Creative Practice award. Open to graduating RCA students only, Ankita Khanna and Yohaan Kukreja received the innovation award for their rice straw-derived biodegradable composite and sheet […]
In Canada, the purveyor of a seaside bar has won local acclaim for swapping soggy straws for a biodegradable alternative made from seashells. Manufactured by Florida’s Strawfish, the straws look and feel like plastic but biodegrade quickly in the environment. They are also safe for people with shellfish allergies to use because the shells are […]
In Georgia, polyhydroxyalkanoate bioplastics maker Danimer Scientific has reported second quarter sales of $7.6 million, down by $5.3 million compared to revenue of $12.9 million in the second quarter of 2023. Nodax-brand PHA revenue of $5.9 million decreased by $2.5 million in the quarter as compared with the prior year quarter, primarily due to the reapportionment […]
In Florida, researchers have developed a novel solution to keeping young, vulnerable coral from being eaten by predatory fish: protective cages made from bioplastic straws. Dubbed Coral Fort, the solution has boosted the survival rate of transplanted coral by a whopping 90%, allowing for the mature, established coral to support ocean life amid widespread die-offs […]
In Switzerland, ETH Zurich researchers can now reveal the most effective renovation strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions: replace fossil- fuel heating systems and harness the potential of bio- based building materials like straw and hemp. They developed a model that uses AI to calculate greenhouse gas emissions and costs and also takes into account […]
In the UK, Aston University scientists are to tackle some of the challenges of how to make inedible rice straw into the next generation of biofuels. In recent years, biofuels and biobased chemicals have been blended with petrol to create a more sustainable alternative. The Aston University researchers are to examine issues that currently hinder […]
In the UK, Aston University scientists are to tackle some of the challenges of how to make inedible rice straw into the next generation of biofuels. In recent years, biofuels and biobased chemicals have been blended with petrol to create a more sustainable alternative. The Aston University researchers are to examine issues that currently hinder […]
In China, SQ Group has broken new ground with the launch of the world’s first one-million-metric-ton straw refinery. It is the first phase of an integration project that can process 500,000 tons of straw annually, and produce a series of eco-friendly, bio-based products such as biomass resin carbon, furfural, pulp, bio-methanol, and an array of […]
Digest CONNECT returned to the airwaves again this past week and first presenter was ABLC veteran and Ecostrat CEO Jordan Solomon, as well as Trae Miller, executive director, Logan County Economic Development. Together, they explored the exciting news that Logan County has earned an A feedstock rating for wheat straw via the Bioeconomy Opportunity Development […]
In California, Yvon Chouinard, the founder of sustainability focused outdoor brand Patagonia, is living in a straw house designed by architect Dylan Johnson. The pair tells Dwell that straw is a promising and ecofriendly alternative to conventional building materials. “In the ’60s, people were talking a lot about straw bale houses and mud houses, adobe, […]
