One Sweet – and Smoky - Plastic Ride

This little beauty is called a Trabant (meaning satellite) or “Trabi.” Starting in the late 50’s, more than 3 million were made and stood as a symbol of a Eastern European transportation.



With a 26 HP two-stroke engine and little else under the hood, it’s not the power but utilitarian simplicity.



Case in point: the entire body is made from Duroplast plastic – a plastic/cotton composite that reduced the need for steel resources but still compares well in modern crash tests.





Hats off to Gad for mastering the clunky beast.



We couldn’t help but take the sightseeing tour of Berlin in a caravan that readily drew stares.



Below is a short video to help put you in the pre-unification driver’s seat.
(It's 3Megs)

Trabi%20drive.wmv

Out.

G+I

Corny Goodness

We spent Wednesday wandering the streets of Berlin, trying to identify the old divide between east and west. One trick: follow the tourist buses. This is what remains of Checkpoint Charlie…



We then took advantage of a nice sunset over the Brandenburg Gate to grab some scenic and pedestrian shots.



These oversized plastic sculptures were an odd addition to many of the city’s attractions for World Cup. On closer inspection, The Walk of Ideas uses Neopor plastic – a highly efficient insulating EPS or expandable polystyrene.



Okay.



Let’s hope they are sent to Dr. Walter (see blog entry Plastic Fuel) when the hooligans go home.


Inspired, Cryptic Moth conducted the first Berlin interview with Harald, the head of European Bioplastics - an industry org. committed to promoting the development of plant-based polymers like corn.



The system in most of Europe works like this: bioplastics are first tested to meet strict criteria of what is biodegradable and what can be composted. Then, when a consumer buys some cookies from Nestle, the bioplastic cookie tray is simply included in their compost pick-up and made into fertilizer.



Harald wanted all of you to know that this is not an answer to plastic litter. Not all bioplastics are created equal and degradability in a compost is vastly different than bobbing around an ocean. This is an alternative to costly petroleum-based plastics, a boon to local agriculture and an easy way for corporations to save money in the handling of waste.



And while the bioplastic industry is still in its infancy, it’s growing fast! Stay tuned for visits to the corporate leaders blazing the trail.



Out.

I+G

German Re-Engineered Plastic Fuel

With heavy hearts, we left Copenhagen to Hamburg, Germany. It was supposed to be the shortest leg of our voyage but...



…this wheel refused to close properly, causing an immediate return to the airport for maintenance. As many know, I am not a good flier and Gad’s persistent nudges to say, “hey, we’re right over the water, man!” didn’t help.



We arrived in Hamburg two hours overdue but still managed to see a good portion of the city – from a lovely central lake with canals and constant reminders of the upcoming World Cup.



On Monday, after a day of rest and laundry, we visited polymer chemist Dr. Walter K. at the University of Hamburg. His work compliments that of Dr. Kevin (see blog entry “Plastic is Yummy…To Bacteria”) in that he and his colleagues have been perfecting the pyrolysis process since the 1970’s.



In a nutshell, this beehive of tubes and condensers heat waste plastic to over 500 degrees C in a zero oxygen chamber. After several stages, the plastic is converted back to its original ingredient – petrochemicals. That’s right. This is true recycling. 20% of the recovered fuel is used to power the process itself, making the technology 80% efficient. It was a big deal during the 70’s energy crisis but died on the vine when oil prices fell. So it’s not surprising pyrolysis is back on the map.



This is epic stuff as ANY PLASTIC can be converted into gas for cars or back into the same plastic from which it came. Cryptic Moth will aim to visit one pilot plant in California later this summer.

Tomorrow we drive to Berlin to seek out the state of bioplastic in Europe, German landmarks and a plastic heart.

Out.

I+G

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