The United Nations Environment Program estimates globally we produce 400 million tons of plastic waste every single year. Scientist Brett Helms led a team of researchers working on bio-renewable plastic. His team just completed a study showing it can be cheaper for manufacturers and emit less Co2 than traditional plastics.
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00:00 That's a piece of plastic made from bacteria inside this petri dish.
00:04 This video is sped up, but in 12 to 24 hours, it easily breaks down in an acidic solution.
00:11 The United Nations Environment Program estimates globally we produce 400 million tons of plastic
00:17 waste every single year.
00:19 Scientist Brett Helms led the team of researchers at the Berkeley Lab working on this biorenewable
00:24 plastic.
00:25 His team just completed a study showing it can be cheaper for manufacturers and emit
00:30 less CO2 than traditional plastics.
00:32 And I think bio presents a unique opportunity to deliver on the sustainable supply chain
00:39 and chemistry really provides the context and the innovation necessary to deconstruct
00:45 plastics and then remanufacture them over and over again.
00:49 I really like that these newly developed plastics are actually outperforming the fossil fuel
00:56 based plastics in a number of ways.
00:58 Sierra Peterson, a professor at the University of Michigan and also a mother of two, helped
01:03 spread the sustainability message of non-profit science moms.
01:06 But here's our reality.
01:08 Currently, 99% of plastics are made from fossil fuels and scientists report a good amount
01:14 can't be recycled.
01:16 So Sierra says she and her family are mindful about waste in little ways.
01:20 Here are all our water bottles.
01:23 Her family uses reusable water bottles instead of those single-use plastic ones.
01:27 It's not all or nothing.
01:29 Some days they use these throwaway bags.
01:31 Other days they use these reusable silicone bags for packing snacks.
01:35 It's hard to be on your A-game with environmentalism at all times, especially when you're a parent
01:41 with young kids and you're just trying to get by.
01:44 And maybe the work won't have to be all on consumers.
01:47 Brett Helms and two of his co-authors started a company to sell what they discovered.
01:52 And he says different brands have made pledges to be more sustainable in what materials they
01:56 use for their products.
01:58 This plastic in a petri dish may be something we see a lot more of.