3 ms·
They are made basically like plastic, except that the process has extra steps at the start, right? Plastic uses plants that grew long ago and stored in undergro
by Arnt 8y ago
They are made basically like plastic, except that the process has extra steps at the start, right? Plastic uses plants that grew long ago and stored in underground vaults called "oil fields", whereas the compostable stuff uses plants grown now, grown and processed with effort right now?
In a way, any action in the present pollutes more than an action not taken. But that's hardly a fair comparison.
- kazen44 8y agoAlso, people heavily underestimate the impact argricultue has on the enviroment.
- darken 8y agoThis is where the whole `sustainable` resources concept really tips the scales. Taking oil out of "underground vaults" is taking long-sequestered CO2 and moving it into the atmosphere/"carbon cycle". It's plastic that has to be dealt with, or CO2 from burning, or it's carbon dissolved in he ocean, etc. Growing plants takes energy from the sun to condense CO2 into complex higher-energy compounds. This can be converted, with use of (possibly clean) energy into useful goods. If these goods end up being burned, the CO2 is returned to the atmosphere. If buried, the CO2 is (at least temporarily) sequestered. Either way, there's no net use of carbon. Yes, the input energy could be from carbon fuel sources, but energy will just get cleaner and cleaner until that's no longer necessary. Even the water needed to grow "biodegradable materials" is plentiful given you have the energy.