Feathers to Plastic
I saw this in the paper a few weeks ago and finally remembered to search for a link to post it here. Researchers at Virginia Tech have developed a process to convert feathers into durable, lightweight, biodegradable plastics. I'm posting this as an off-topic subject, but it is related to global warming, since most plastics now are petroleum based.
How many feathers are available? In America, more than 2 billion pounds of dry chicken feathers annually. That's a lot of chickens. Currently, they're converted into animal feed or dumped into landfills. Speaking of landfills, 29 million tons of non-biodegradable plastic packaging gets dumped in landfills every year.
Plastics made from feathers can be made on the same equipment currently used to make petroleum-based plastics and they can be produced at lower temperatures, bringing an energy savings.
Comments (4)
Industrial agriculture is one of the biggest sources of environmental problems. It takes over 300 gallons of water to make one pound of beef, and the bulk of the west's water supply goes into making meat. (Crops to feed cattle.)
Beef is worse than chicken, but both industries are environmental disasters, and mistreatment of animals is the norm.
I only buy grass fed, free range meat for these reasons, as they are much healthier and environmentally friendly.
As long as the feathers are there, we might as well use them though.
Posted by Patrick Henry | June 13, 2007 10:30 AM
PH:
Where do you get your beef from?
The wife and I have not purchased meat in a long time because of the reasons you state, both environment issues and treatment concerns with treatment and how they are dispatched being the more important of the two.
Would be great to find an agreeable supplier.
We have chickens and it is true, they tend to leave feathers all over the place. And yes people, they are free range and we only have them for the eggs.
Posted by Darren | June 13, 2007 12:46 PM
Darren,
I have a policy of not mentioning my location on the Internet, but I know a number of local farmers and ranchers who sell at farmer's markets. You probably do too where you live.
Also, Whole Foods Markets have high quality meat.
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/products/meat-poultry/index.html
Posted by Patrick Henry | June 13, 2007 1:16 PM
PH:
Thanks for the info. respect your policy.
D
Posted by Darren | June 13, 2007 4:49 PM