mushrooms
Newsletter
Turning mushroom waste into a resource for sustainable farming
The mushroom industry explores the potential of spent substrate, a byproduct of mushroom cultivation, for various environmental and agricultural applications.
In short:
- Spent substrate, the leftover material from mushroom farming, holds potential for compost, soil decontamination, biofuel, and further mushroom cultivation.
- Small and large mushroom farms alike face the challenge of managing the increasing amounts of spent substrate, seeking innovative solutions for its disposal and reuse.
- The Central Texas Mycological Society has created a community network for free spent substrate pickup, supporting local farms and environmental projects.
Key quote:
"If you're gonna do it, awesome, but account for this waste stream you're producing and how you're gonna get it off of your property."
— Amanda Janney, founder of KM Mushrooms
Why this matters:
Incorporating spent substrate into farming practices supports the principles of circular economy by recycling waste products into valuable resources. This not only reduces waste but also minimizes the environmental impact of farming by decreasing the reliance on synthetic inputs.
The way we eat and grow food has to dramatically change if we're going to feed the world's increasing population by 2050 and protect the planet, according to a major report released in 2019 from the EAT-Lancet Commission.
In short:
- Spent substrate, the leftover material from mushroom farming, holds potential for compost, soil decontamination, biofuel, and further mushroom cultivation.
- Small and large mushroom farms alike face the challenge of managing the increasing amounts of spent substrate, seeking innovative solutions for its disposal and reuse.
- The Central Texas Mycological Society has created a community network for free spent substrate pickup, supporting local farms and environmental projects.
Key quote:
"If you're gonna do it, awesome, but account for this waste stream you're producing and how you're gonna get it off of your property."
— Amanda Janney, founder of KM Mushrooms
Why this matters:
Incorporating spent substrate into farming practices supports the principles of circular economy by recycling waste products into valuable resources. This not only reduces waste but also minimizes the environmental impact of farming by decreasing the reliance on synthetic inputs.
The way we eat and grow food has to dramatically change if we're going to feed the world's increasing population by 2050 and protect the planet, according to a major report released in 2019 from the EAT-Lancet Commission.
Keep reading...Show less
Newsletter
Image by beauty_of_nature from Pixabay
Can we create 'living buildings' made of fungi? And could they help us adapt to climate change?
A team of Vancouver academics is spanning the boundary between microbiology and architecture, thanks to oyster mushrooms and other common fungi. It could help construction's environmental impact, and help with insulation and even air quality.
Big Stock Photo
Growing fungus in low carbon, sustainable building materials
Two new studies show how a lightweight construction material and a fire-retardant, both made from fungi, could be safe, sustainable alternatives to the chemicals, foams, and plastics in our homes.
Meati's mycelium steaks are going national in Sprouts Farmers Markets
Meati cofounder Tyler Huggins has a national distribution deal with Sprouts Farmers Markets to sell his steaks and chicken cuts made from the protein and fiber of mushroom roots.
This new 'mega ranch' turns mushroom roots into meat
Meati has built a sprawling new factory that can turn tens of millions of pounds of mushroom roots into chicken and steak.
Photo by Külli Kittus on Unsplash
Are mushrooms the future of alternative leather?
MycoWorks uses mycelium, the substance in the root structure of mushrooms, to make Reishi, which has the look and feel of leather. Big-name companies are very interested.
Serge Schmemann: Where have all the cèpes gone?
I have not yet found studies on the impact of climate change on mushrooms in the Laurentians. But mushroom-picking sites, like Mushroom-Collecting.com, have noted the growing scarcity of cèpes.
ORIGINAL REPORTING
MOST POPULAR
CLIMATE
