Eben Bayer is co-inventor of MycoBond, an organic (really — it's based on mycelium, a living, growing organism) adhesive that turns agriwaste into a foam-like material for packaging and insulation.

Why you should listen

As co-founder of Ecovative, Eben Bayer co-invented MycoBond, a technology that uses a filamentous fungi to transform agricultural waste products into strong composite materials. Or, as CNN put it: "In non-scientific terms, they grind up seed husks and glue the small pieces together with mushroom root." Their products include packaging and styrofoam substitute and the now-in-development Greensulate rigid insulation board for builders. Both products require less energy to create than synthetics like foam, because they're quite literally grown. Equally compelling, at the end of their useful life, they can be home-composted or even used as garden mulch.

What others say

“There are three principles that should govern better materials. Firstly, they should be able to be created almost anywhere on the planet. Secondly, they should require considerably less energy to produce than current materials. Lastly, they should be able to be disposed of by nature's wonderful open-source recycling system.” — Eben Bayer,

Eben Bayer’s TED talk

More news and ideas from Eben Bayer

Live from TEDGlobal

Are mushrooms the new plastic?: Eben Bayer on TED.com

October 4, 2010

Product designer Eben Bayer reveals his recipe for a new, fungus-based packaging material that protects fragile stuff like furniture, plasma screens — and the environment. (Recorded at TEDGlobal, July 2010 in Oxford, England. Duration: 9:05) [ted id=971] Watch Eben Bayer’s talk on TED.com where you can download it, rate it, comment on it and find […]

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