A happy new year from The Innovation Station team! Another year, another series of newsletters bringing you inspiring videos of innovations that might help to make the world a better place.
Despite the recent setback, the Ocean Cleanup is still very much needed. However, this will not solve the plastic problem. The world needs alternatives of the kind that will naturally dissolve and/or can be recycled in a way that does not harm the planet. Diving into the subject, it is heartwarming to discover the sheer number of new technologies and innovations being developed at this very moment. There are way too many to list in one newsletter, so search for more (and add them to our website as you do) if you are interested in the subject. And try to use alternatives yourselves where possible of course.
Theme | SDG
Hard s(h)ell?
The company Cuantec uses langoustines shells and biological fermentation to create the materials chitin and chitosan that can be used as a basis for bioplastics. And with the anti-microbial characteristics the shell of a langoustine has from itself as a bonus.
The Indonesian start-up Evoware turns seaweed into an edible and biodegradable bio-plastic. One can literally eat the cup after finishing a drink or eat the wrap around the burger. The extra here is the fact that the seaweed production generates income for the local (poor) community.
Algae have been seen as a promising crop for many industries. Start-up AlgoteK has developed an algae-based bioplastic that is sturdy and tough at first but dissolves in seconds under the faucet as one can watch in this video.
Beeswax was used as plastic long before the oil-based version became popular. So why not use it again? The start-up Bee's Wrap uses organic cotton, beeswax, organic jojoba oil, and tree resin, to create a washable, reusable, and compostable food wrap. And this might help to save the bee as well.
Plastic straws are one the most visible examples of single-use plastic that does not make any sense. That must have been what the founders of Sulapac figured as well. So the came up with a wood-based sustainable straw that is biodegradable and can be mass produced.
