Planet-Safe Picnics

摘要

With biodegradable plates, cups and cutlery, pick-nickers can enjoy eating outdoors without leaving a lasting reminder in the local landfill. Plastics made from renewable resources like corn and potato starch (biopolymers), and tableware and cutlery derived from corn, potatoes and sugarcane waste (bagasse), offer new possibilities for serving summer salads. Performance-wise, the bioplastics have a few durability issues. The same factors that lead to food spoilage, like humidity, also influence the rate of degradation of a biodegradable fork.