Inflatable concrete boat?

"Renewable" is a marketing term attempting to convince customers they will have a claim of being better than their peers. In almost all the cases I have seen there is little to no improvement in environmental impact and none where the improvement justified the increased cost.

Plastic polymers can be synthesized from plant matter but all that achieves is using energy (mostly from fossil fuels) to do what the earth has already done to plant matter from ages ago. Our problem is not that we make too much plastic from oil, it is that we burn too much oil.

Thermoset plastic, and reaction plastics, cannot be melted and reused as another product. Thermoplastic can. Thermoplastic is limited in it's abilities due to temperature limits, creep, and stiffness. Structural fillers improve these properties but interfere with recycling.

"Sustainable" is a consideration that applies to lifestyle and behavior. A material cannot achieve it. Monster trucks are very recyclable. The new "Dreamliner" is far less recyclable than it's aluminum predecessor but it is a great achievement in sustainability.

If I avoid just one plane ride in favor of paddling or sailing my kayak, I have cut my hydrocarbon use three to ten fold without even considering recycling. Kayaking or sailing are even more sustainable than biking if you consider the impact of the path bikes needed. The balance shifts as boats get bigger but that points to a far bigger and more important issue -how much of our environmental impact is driven entirely by ego and why is that not considered waste? Why would you think that cutting down a forest for it is better than pumping oil from the ground? I see why this is important to people who want to sell big new boats, but it is a lie that the environmental impact has been mitigated. The true positive story is that FRP sailboats last a very long time and can be a great part of a very sustainable lifestyle.

 

That is some real food for thought Skyak.

It makes one wonder what other contentious issues would be seen in a different light if the relevant bigger picture is taken into account. There always seem be be another side to every coin!