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We are just getting started’: the plastic-eating bacteria that could change the world
(www.theguardian.com)
this post was submitted on 30 Sep 2023
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Who knows what its consequences are? How about a simpler approach, like reducing plastic use maybe instead of some pie in the sky project?
That's why they're doing research genius
Both is good, but even stopping all plastic today and picking up every piece of trash we can grab with our hands won't clean up the microplastics that are already in the environment.
With how heavily integrated plastics are into EVERYTHING in our society, I think that's not necessarily the "simpler" approach, even if I agree that it's vital.
Mfw the bacteria evolve to turn plastic into methane 🔥 💀 🔥
As if the micro plastics crisis hasn't already made the "pie in the sky" solution a necessity at this point
The most ideal situation is if we archieve 100% recycling.
In reality no thing can disappear, both matter and energy just change form. We only need to look at nature for proof that 100% reusing matter and energy is feasible. Even our “waste” wasn’t wasted.
These microbes are yet another key in the puzzle to obtain the next breakthrough. Once we master industrial chains with full conservation of matter and energy the cost of creating things will become negligible.
Paper bags are worse, except maybe for microplastics. But they take more resources to create, and aren't as recyclable as good plastic bags. You can use a canvas bag, but that takes even more resources to create. So you have to use the same canvas bag for years
We do probably want both. Even if we end plastic production completely tomorrow, we need to work out a way to clean up all the plastic we've already dumped all over the world
What kind of question even is that? Reducing plastic enough and getting rid of the amount that's already in the environment without new technological solutions is nothing but fantasy at this moment.
Making a nuclear bomb is much easier than keeping people from using it once it's made.
Natural science is difficult, but getting people to do the right thing is almost impossible.