Researchers Used Carbon Dioxide to Create a Plastic Alternative

This new material combines Co2 with a biomass called lignin and can be used for construction, textiles, and replacing plastic packaging

Photo by Emily Bernal on Unsplash

We’re living during a highly transformative time. Maintaining “the way things have always been” isn’t a viable plan anymore because social upheaval, technological advancements, and scientific discoveries over the last few decades have made many old ideas obsolete.

The status quo is damaging the planet and ourselves. Take plastic, for instance. I won’t deny that plastic is useful, but I also don’t need to tell you how significant a mistake it has become — a problem compounded by our dependence on it. Thankfully, researchers have created a possible solution to our plastic problem by inventing an alternative material that helps combat climate change.

Our Plastic Problem

Not-so-fun fact: Most plastic is not actually recyclable. Only about 5 to 6 percent of plastics are recycled, meaning about 95 percent aren’t.

A 2022 report by Greenpeace found that while there are many different kinds of plastics, only two types can be considered genuinely recyclable under U.S. law — one is polyethylene terephthalate…