56
This plastic is made from milk and it vanishes in 13 weeks (www.sciencedaily.com)
submitted 5 months ago by to c/science@mander.xyz
19 comments fedilink hide all child comments

all 19 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] 40 points 5 months ago (6 children)

While neat, it still seems like poor stewardship. Rather than some easy cultivated fiber product you have to raise dairy cows and extract milk for a disposable plate. Seems like poor life cycle cost tally

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 12 child comments
    •
  • [–] 8 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

    It is neat, and provides a backstop to prices and American dairy overproduction. It diversifies income streams for farmers, but yes at the cost of food. Remember the concerns of corn to ethanol. Food as fuel has human costs as does food as packaging.

    Edit: and of course our plasticized environment is a total nightmare scenario.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 4 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    Couldn't we use some yeast or e-coli instead of cows?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    I don't have an answer for the cost of life, but I have heard many times that milk and cheese is overly abundant in the USA.

    I do agree that it should be much cheaper to use cellulose/plant composite for these things. The problem is sealing it.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [+] -8 points 5 months ago (2 children)

    You don't have to raise cows to have milk, you can literally use the same fiber (Soy, Hemp) to use industrially to make this plastic

    Just because it says 'milk' doesn't mean 'dairy'

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
    • [–] 12 points 5 months ago

    It's great to find alternatives to plastic, but could we focus on them not requiring animal products? Dairy cows live horrible lives (usually) and raising them is bad for the environment.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 9 points 5 months ago

    Soon to be adopted by BMW for their cooling systems?

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •
    [–] 5 points 5 months ago (1 child)

    So now the plastic one can be marketed as vegan

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] -1 points 5 months ago* (2 children)

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veganism

    Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products and the consumption of animal source foods, and an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of animals

    So actually, no

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 4 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    I get you. The person you responded to talked about "the plastic one" and meant the old style non-milk plastic one, but the milk plastic one is also a "plastic one". It was a tad unclear.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
    • [–] 2 points 5 months ago

    Milk based plastic was one of the first man made plastics produced back in 1890. Not 1980, 1890.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_plastic_development

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
    •