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Biodegradable Car Parts From Grass

Posted by timothy on from the plant-bamboo-in-your-enemies'-yards dept.

An unnamed reader writes: "The CBC is reporting that scientists from the University of Warwick in England are working to develop biodegradable cars using Elephant grass." Elephant grass, for those unblessed with it, is a quick-growing, low-maintenance woody plant akin to bamboo. The idea of cheaply growing eco-friendly parts to make durable goods certainly appeals.

25 comments

  1. Grassy Auto by Cheese_isgood · · Score: 1

    Becareful as you pull into the garage to watch out for the lawnmower. Oh, and you might want to move the shears out of the way too.

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    Buzz Off
  2. Some would want to... by SpanishInquisition · · Score: 1

    smoke it!
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    Je t'aime Stéphanie
  3. Adobe by BobGregg · · Score: 2

    Reminds me of the classic SNL parody - "the little car that's ma-ade out of clay..."

  4. Old Idea.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    See Cheech & Chong's "Up In Smoke", circa. late 70's.

  5. Oh.. ELEPHANT grass.. by Neuracnu+Coyote · · Score: 1

    And here I was getting my hopes up about being able to go into AutoZone and buying a hemp carborator for my VW Microbus.

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    1. Re:Oh.. ELEPHANT grass.. by pallex · · Score: 2

      http://www.hempcar.org/

  6. Another first for the USA!! by Flabdabb+Hubbard · · Score: 1

    The environmental Nazis claim the USA is a polluting nation, but with technology like this, we have demonstrated quite clearly how we will dominate the market for 'green' automobiles in the future. BMW and Mercedes and Honda have nothing like this. (Quite funny when you consider how Europeans are always whining about the environment) !!

    1. Re:Another first for the USA!! by 3waygeek · · Score: 1

      The environmental Nazis claim the USA is a polluting nation, but with technology like this, we have demonstrated quite clearly how we will dominate the market for 'green' automobiles in the future. BMW and Mercedes and Honda have nothing like this.

      Actually BMW has done (and may still be doing) research on hydrogen power, and Honda has the Insight, which is a gasoline/electric hybrid.

    2. Re:Another first for the USA!! by Rogerborg · · Score: 2

      Er, are you being ironic or moronic?

      This has nothing to do with the US, and in any case, it's hardly a new idea. Ever heard of the Trabant?

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  7. You mean for England. by Christopher+Thomas · · Score: 2

    The environmental Nazis claim the USA is a polluting nation, but with technology like this, we have demonstrated quite clearly how we will dominate the market for 'green' automobiles in the future.

    Um, you do realize that this is an article in *Canada* reporting the development of this technology in *England*?

    IHBT, I know...

    1. Re:You mean for England. by johnhebert · · Score: 1

      And we have more idiots per capita than any other country in the world! :)

      As a pro-enviroment person, thanks for posting your rebuttal. It made me laugh out loud.

      John

      --
      "Classic UFO's ... crafts for kids..." Interpretations from
  8. I have a bio-degradable car. It is called a horse by Galactic-Geek2000 · · Score: 1

    My horse can smoke your car.

    Galactic Geek

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    * * * Free programmers? Why not? http://www.Geeks4Free.com * * *
  9. Up in Smoke by Ser\/o · · Score: 1

    as long as Sgt. Stedenko doesn't set it afire, I'm cool with it.

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    -Just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you.
  10. Ok, grass car parts, very nice by ackthpt · · Score: 3
    Reminded me of stories I've heard about ceramic engines (ok, where are they, hmmm? And I don't mean the aluminum silicon blocks) and plastic engine parts. All I've seen so far are carbon valve springs.

    I suppose if they adopted this technology, Detroit could get a variation on it's nickname... Mow-town.

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    A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
  11. Grass car parts... as filler. Not structure. by Spamalamadingdong · · Score: 1
    Elephant-grass filler for plastic parts is fine, but the reporter seems to think that this is going to lead to biodegradable cars.

    If that happens, it's going to be for political reasons, not practical ones. There are a few inconvenient facts that environmental "reporters" can't seem to get their minds around, and it throws a monkey wrench into these schemes:

    1. What matters isn't the manufacturing cost or disposal cost, but the life-cycle cost.
    2. If energy consumption is the measure, most of the energy used by a vehicle isn't involved in making it, but in pushing it around for 200,000 km.
    3. The energy cost of pushing a car depends a lot on its weight.
    4. Wood is heavier and weaker than metal.
    5. Therefore, a wooden car will use more energy per unit of distance than a metal car.
    The old "small earth" mantra goes "Reduce, re-use, recycle". Metal recycles very well, and a stronger and lighter structure reduces energy use. A wood-filled bio-polymer car that weighs more than its competition, can't be recycled, probably won't be fit to be re-used, and increases energy consumption instead of decreasing it. It's superficially appealing, but even a cursory look at the environmental consequences proves it's a loser.
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  12. Car-rot? by decipher_saint · · Score: 2
    Wouldn't parts made of dead matter attract rot and / or insects? I mean, for parts to be totally biodegradable you couldn't use synthetic varnish or sealant (not being a botanist, I don't know if there are naturally occuring biodegradable sealants, preservatives perhaps). Actually the basic idea of 'biodegradable' means that eventually any item made of this matter would be consumed by bacteria, so much for classic cars eh.

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    crazy dynamite monkey
  13. Yep, it might help by ishrat · · Score: 1

    Considering the growth in dumping cars and getting new ones, it might just prove a great boon. But perhaps these cars may turn out expensive, since the grass would have to be tempered so as not to be eaten by insects or get bio-degraded before time or perhaps catch fire with internal heating or any such weird reasons.

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    There's always sufficient, but not always at the right place nor for the right folks.

  14. Biodegradable, eh.. by mashy · · Score: 1

    just don't park this baby near a pile of mulch

  15. Henry Ford's HempCar by HempCar · · Score: 2

    haven't you fools ever heard of Henry Ford's Hemp body car? here's a video of somebody swinging a sledgehammer at it and not even denting it.

    http://www.crrh.org/hemptv/misc_ford.html

    fueled by hemp too.

    1. Re:Henry Ford's HempCar by emok · · Score: 1

      I think Cheech and Chong made one of these also.

      http://www.dvdfile.com/software/review/dvd-video _2 /cheechchong_upinsmoke.html

  16. It's not elephant grass, it's miscanthus. by johnhebert · · Score: 2

    Elephant grass is Pennisetum Purpureum. Miscanthus is a different species, Miscanthus x giganteus. They resemble each other, but are sometimes confused. See http://bioenergy.ornl.gov/papers/miscanthus/miscan thus.html for more information.

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    "Classic UFO's ... crafts for kids..." Interpretations from
  17. Rust Spots? by donutz · · Score: 1

    Ok, now I know I could could patch up my car now with some Bondo....but what am I supposed to use on a Bio-car? Guacamole?

  18. Re:Carrot? Not if there are no leeks (sic) by billybob2001 · · Score: 1
    Elephant grass ... is a quick-growing, low-maintenance woody plant akin to bamboo

    I've got loads of stuff that's made of wood in my house/garage/office, and it ain't rotting. Ok, you've got to keep it dry, but that doesn't mean sealing/varnishing the part itself, just containing it.

    I had a wooden car once. Wooden wheels, wooden windows, wooden engine - wooden go!

  19. Cheech and Chong did it. by Mr_Icon · · Score: 1

    In their Hemp-mobile...

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    If you open yourself to the foo, You and foo become one.
  20. HempCar by The+Queen · · Score: 2

    This is the real deal, sweetie: http://hempcar.org/

    (Shameless plug for my dear Reverend Al.)


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