wrote in message

I think the airbags are a real move forward. Maybe we need to develop
expanded straw packing!

I agree. It's very successful.

Im confused, theres no such thing as expanded straw, as far as i know
anyway. Nor any way it could be expanded to use as packing - though no
doubt someone will figure it out. Would be a great thing if they do,
straw is plentiful and green.

Perhaps I used the wrong tense. Back in the eighties a son did his masters
on alternative uses of straw and various forms of the material were used in
packaging, one was certainly a method which used it very finely chopped and
'expanded' by bonding it with some other material - not a man-made plastic.
But I can't remember what and can't fine the thesis. It might have been in
another part of the world even. I was excited by it because pod waste from
OSR was used in the same way.

So many things which happened then never took off.

Straw is a problem for the agricultural industry, even with shorter stalked
varieties there's far too much of it. The i.c.e. has a lot to answer for ...

....


There must be many other protective packing systems, all it needs is some
consideration for the planet and the future. Moulded expanded polystyrene
is
NOT essential.

there must? what are they?

I think youre reading of 'must' and my intention are perhaps different ...

Consideration is why we use what we do. Polystyrene is used to reduce
goods damage, it would waste more energy to not use it.

You need to tell us what the alternative option is youre suggesting. As
far as I can see there isnt one, we're doing as good as we can, in most
cases.

I don't understand that last sentence.

Mary


NT