DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF by Maryanne Kane, Journalist

 DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF 

By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane

A TIME FOR WHINE:  CLIMATE CHANGE COULD DESTROY OUR FAVORITE WINES

                                                                   Source:  Stock

• 90% of premier winegrowing regions could lose the ability to grow grapes due to Climate Change
• The findings come from a new study published by Nature Reviews Earth and Environment done by Bordeaux Sciences Agro Research Institute
• The world's most celebrated wine-growing regions are being impacted by CC and could become unsuitable by 2100
• Rising temps/global warming in premier regions such as Spain, Italy, Southern France and California could make wines sweeter and more alcoholic and even prevent grape growth
• Heat waves from CC, excessive drought and widespread global warming, which are highly likely, put at risk 90% of premier wine growing regions and 70% of existing regions
• Grapes are the world's 3rd most valuable horticultural crop and there will be a huge economic impact
• If you value a tasty glass of wine to cap off the day...Climate Change may take the "cheers" out of Happy Hour.

CREATING THE IMPOSSIBLE - PLANT-BASED PLASTIC

                                 Source: Stock & UC San Diego
 

• This has all the elements of an innovation breakthrough. US scientists have created plant-based plastic.  It's an eco-friendly, healthy, biodegradable alternative to current plastics that take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade and are polluting the world.  Here are some key facts:
• 97% of this algae-based plastic biodegrades within 200 days, not 1000 years
• The bioplastic has been developed by scientists at UC San Diego and the materials science company Algenesis
• It does not generate microplastic particles that are toxic and cancer-causing
• Microplastics are found in our food, water and bodies
• Current plastic water bottles can contain thousands of cancer-causing microplastic filaments
• The scientists say their bioplastic is a sustainable alternative to plastic and their new plastic does not make you sick
• More work needs to be done but these scientists have created what they were told would be impossible:  a safe alternative to plastic, which is a global pollutant
• This will be commercialized, and the team has already started with an engineering group to create cell phone cases out of it.

"Daily Innovation Brief"© By Edward Kane