We love alternatives to petroleum-based plastics around here. Not too long ago ago, we talked about plastic innovations. Product designer Eben Bayer is now talking about yet another potential game changer: mushroom plastic.

His main purpose in developing his mushroom-based plastic was to replace disposable polystyrene products. Bayer points out that not only is Styrofoam terrible for us and for the environment, it's a waste of a dwindling resource: petroleum. Whether we like it or not, we rely on petroleum, a non-renewable resource, in almost every facet of our lives, and that's dangerous.

He uses mushroom's roots to create what's essentially a glue that can be molded into light weight plastic products like Styrofoam and insulation. The best part? After you're done using your mushroom plastic, you can toss it right into a back yard compost bin, and it will break down to help nourish the soil!

Here's Bayer at TEDGlobal talking about his innovative plastic, including a breakdown of how it's made:

We've hit you with lots of amazing plastic breakthroughs lately! Which ones do you think are the most feasible on a large scale?

Image Credit: Creative Commons photo by martinlabar