Triton Talks: Solving Our Plastic Problem With Algae
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- Опубліковано 5 чер 2022
- Plastic is everywhere. There are 17 trillion tons of the stuff on the planet. While plastic is convenient and cheap, it can take hundreds of years to decompose. Michael Burkart, Ph.D., professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UC San Diego, works on inventing new types of renewable, biodegradable plastic made from algae, including the world's first algae surfboard as well as flip flops and sneakers. Burkart is a founder and has an equity position in Algenesis Materials. [7/2022] [Show ID: 38075]
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This would be an incredible avenue of research from a "landrace" algae perspective. Such productive organisms must be incredibly diverse , also examining the contexts where an abundance of algae already exists where removal could constitute an added benefit, assuming transportation costs (carbon, cash, tine) don't outweigh. Very cool talk! Thank you again for sharing these fabulously thought provoking talks. How can a "sideliner" support these efforts and initiatives? Also, a ranking of biological"storage mechanism" durability over time of various contaminants would be interesting and could inform duration and make up of bioremediation efforts.
Fantastic idea !!
I'll try to stop buying plastic. I guess I could buy nuts in bulk and put them in my own container. I could do the same with kale. I could try buying Tru Earth laundry sheets instead of liquid laundry soap.
Thanks a lot
There have been many studies on biodegradable plastics of macroalgae, and scientists
are thinking about how to mass-produce macroalgae.
There is a way to continuously grow macroalgae in the natural environment of the land throughout the four seasons.
Is there a hand or small scale method that could be replicated in remote or otherwise inaccessible areas with commonly available materials? Are there 'field protocols' for replication of these processes on a small scale?
There is plenty of inspiration to be found in agroecology, the scientific principles which rely on the local ecological knowledge of producers to integrate production into ecosystems, and as an eminently political, small scale alternative to industrial mass production. Im sure there are many indigenous groups and peasants who have traditional knowledge about it. I see it as a way to free basic life science research from the powers that be. I've started experimenting with filamentous algae and culturing indigenous microorganisms. And I was just thinking about small scale biodegradation of polystyrene using insects and plants inside of an insulated ecosystem basically a greenhouse with a clay floor
Super cool! I'd love to hear more about the mechanisms, byproducts and parameters for researching such processes.
@@Doctor_Subtilis very into agro ecology but difficult to find technical info in presentation format that isn't surface level. Very uninformed myself, id love to learn more.
@@Doctor_Subtilis would love to collaborate. Let me know if I can help. I've a very multidisciplinary earth and anthropological science background.. If you post I will post.
Encouraging