Is it microwavable? Since it's shiny, is it oily too? Just wondering, knowing how corn is.

"Soylent Green is people!"

We can do anything with most anything....once it can turn a better profit than what we're using now.

Not to mention the manufacture process using organics is far less poluting than using oil, especially where plastics are involved. I'm not a big fan of plastic myself, I prefer glass (yes I know it's technically a type of plastic) and wood to plastics but reality is that plastics are here to stay.

Hopefully organic plastics will begin to become more commonplace instead of just a novelty.

Interesting.

I learn something new everyday:)

coulda also gone with stuff made of hemp. (hemp mugs don't hold liquid as well as those fabricated from other materials, but they're much more fun to incinerate.)

Along the lines of alternate materials, I have 2 shirts which looks like denim but are actually made of wood fiber. It's a pretty heavy material and feels more or less like denim although smoother in texture. Very comfortable and durable.

I've owned a couple of hemp shirts and a pair of hemp jeans. Interesting for their novelty value but not overly durable.

Hey Karma--


Interesting article. Corn mugs sound cool. I was surprised to find out the number of things that have a bio-based alternative. Page 19 of this report Link
has a cool chart showing consumer products with bio-alternatives.

Well, in a day when Polar Tech jackets are made from 2 Liter Bottles, why not Corn!! Soon we'll be able to dress as corny as we wanna be!! ;~D

All of Willie Nelson's vehicles are diesels running on Vegatable Oil also. Interestingly enough, the first time a diesel engine was run using vegetable oil was done by Rudolf Diesel himself.

Is it microwavable? Since it's shiny, is it oily too?

Yep, you can microwave it and wash it in the dishwasher.  It's not oily.  It just feels like really smooth plastic.

saw a car on a tv show once that ran on used vegetable oil...

Yeah, but when they run the exhaust smells like fried chicken.....

Corn plastic is really interesting stuff.  It is actually a byproduct of the corn after the ethanol has been removed.  Once the material need for plastic is removed, there is a fiber left that you can make clothing and other items out of.

Another interesting thing is that they can make a truly "bio-friendly" disposable plastic out of it.  They can make a lightweight plastic that is slightly different from the hard plastic that will compost in 45 days after composting conditions are met.  you could literally through your plastic container in your compost bin and it would take care of itself.

Now, think about how much that could save the environment.  Just think of if disposable diapers were made of that material.  I also read that Paul Newman (who makes a line of organic foods) is now using the biodegradable corn plastic for all his plastic containers.  Now, that is eco-friendly!

 

Just think of if disposable diapers were made of that material

That is something we should seriously look into! Boy, once those plastic diapers get made into plastic cased Diaper Genie sausages, they will be around indefinitely! If you don't use a Diaper Genie, you still wrap those stinkies in plastic bags. Might be nose friendly but sure isn't eco-friendly.

Interesting stuff.

I really hope that bio-freindly organic technology is a trend that will become mainstream in the near future. Interesting to learn about Newman's choosing to use the organo-plastics. I've always liked his products, now I like them a tad more.

Once profitability is demonstrated perhaps more major businesses will gravitate towards organic technologies.

I don't know if you like candles or not, but if so have you tried soy wax candles? They are actually superior to petroleum wax candles in that they burn longer and produce far less soot. I use them exclusively.

That is something we should seriously look into! Boy, once those plastic diapers get made into plastic cased Diaper Genie sausages, they will be around indefinitely!

Very *very* true.  They really need to start making diapers and diaper Genie bags out of this stuff.

I really hope that bio-freindly organic technology is a trend that will become mainstream in the near future.

Mason, I totally agree.  I really hope that we start using the bio-friendly plastics and other products.  They are a bit more expensive now, but they wouldn't be if they were the mainstream product. 

I also like Newman's products (especially his Oreo-like cookies).  I am also happy that he practices what he preaches, and it really concerned about the environment not just trying to make a quick buck off from those who are.

I have one soy wax candle (it's a cucumber scent).  For some reason, there aren't many places to buy them around here.  Do you have any online resources?  My favorite candles are made from Beeswax.  They don't last long, but they sure smell good!

There are a lot of online sources for soy candles as well as the supplies to make your own. While candle making seems to be a lost art these days it can be pretty enjoyable.

Here are a few links to places that sell soy candles:

Link
Link
Link

There are literally hundreds out there to be found using your search engine. These are just a few from my bookmarks.

Thanks for the links. 

I tend to try and get resources from people who have experience from certain stores, especially on certain products.  I don't always trust all brands to be what they say they are.  The Soy candles seem to burn more evenly than traditional candles, which is nice. 

I have made candles in the past, I'll have to check out your links and look into it more.

You're welcome. A quick google can turn up quite a few suppliers of candle making supplies. Most of them carry soy wax and associated supplies.