I saw a fascinating report on television the other night. Construction material made out of mushrooms!
Have I been kept in the dark – why did I not know about this? An ecofriendly, versatile, biodegradable material made from waste. That has got to be good. As I discovered in my brief foraging for information, this is not new news. There are even YouTube videos for making your own mushroom building bricks. Which brings me to the next obvious question – why is this not common knowledge, and in common use? Or is it, and I am just emerging out of the dark into the light.
“This is a hybrid of what I call an ancient technology of mushrooms and a totally new technology of computation and engineering,” says architect David Benjamin.
The mushroom bricks are –
grown with no carbon emissions from organic waste materials and mycelium
create no waste
grow in five days into lightweight, solid bricks
Mycelium has already been used in a variety of forms on a smaller scale. IKEA and Dell use it as an alternative packaging to polystyrene which takes decades to naturally break down and poses great difficulty when trying to recycle it. Mycelium packaging is created by using organic waste which is then cleaned and combined with mycelium which then will grow around the waste, sending out roots and fibres which digest the materials. It is then broken up and put into moulds, a solid form is then grown which then can be used in a variety of ways. Much like wooden furniture indoors it will be strong and sturdy whilst inside, but will break down after being overly exposed outside.
Just to whet your appetite for the humble mushroom here is a recipe for the best ever mushroom soup. It’s worth the effort.
Raili Tanska
Steps for Peace
Live in harmony with Nature
I wish I knew someone who could go with me and show me which are for eating and which are not.
That’s the trick, isn’t it. Some are so poisonous. I buy mine to be on the safe side
Have you been kept in the dark! I could hardly continue reading for sniggering after that line. I assume you wrote that on purpose 😂🤣
Really? Was it that obvious ?
I bet not everyone picked up on it!!!
You’re just the clever one 🙂
🙄
You doubt yourself?
Maybe
I used to have a friend who was always laughing. That’s because he was a fun guy.
So not indulging in magic mushies, then ? 🙂
Mycelium is a magical occurrence.. And like most things that are organic and inexpensive to produce.. its not made common knowledge because those who usually make profit don’t want it common knowledge..
Great Post Raili. ❤
I figured as much Sue. So many innovations go down that same route 😦
💜💚💜
This is news to me, Raili!
Incredible! It’s the first I’ve heard of it.
My point exactly, Jane! Why do we not know about it and why is it not more widely used?!
Because there’s more money to be made in toxic plastic, I guess…
Yeah 😦