We've written a fair amount about companies that have made a business out of waste as well as innovative companies who subscribe to the Cradle to Cradle design philosophy. So when an ultra-modern company like Verterra comes across our dinner table, we're almost instantly fans.
Like most consumers, we assume that all compostable plates are created equal, but according to Vertarra, they're not. Many don't compost very well. They don't stand up to heat well. They're made from food crop. They're made from GMO ingredients. They use binders, like glue, to help them keep their form, leeching into food that's eaten in/on them. And they're just plain ugly.
Vertarra set out to change all this and found a welcomed solution in fallen leaves and water. That's it. Formed into a variety of modern shapes that look a lot like expensive wooden dinnerware, Vertarra's line of products compost in 3 months or less. They're reusable. They can be used in an oven to bake. They use little energy to manufacture. And they're relatively inexpensive to boot.
While we have yet to test the durability of their products out ourselves, we can immediately see the potential for a variety of applications for this innovative manufacturing process. Can you?
In the future, perhaps we will start seeing furniture, clothes and even electronics made from compressed leaves and water. Of course, it requires someone like you to make them. What are you doing this weekend?
  
|
  
|
