Ford is using dandelions to make rubber products.
If dandelions were valuable, would you casually use herbicide to kill them? Would you spend hours in your garden or on your lawn trying to wipe them from existence? As it turns out, they may be very useful to a vehicle manufacturer!
Ford Motor Company has been working with Ohio State University on how to use dandelions to make a sustainable rubber product. That milky white goo that oozes from the roots of the weed when you yank it out of your flower bed? It has properties similar to those of the rubber tree and Ford is looking to capitalize on it.
Could this be considered flower power?
“Synthetic rubber is not a sustainable resource, so we want to minimize its use in our vehicles when possible. Dandelions have the potential to serve as a great natural alternative to synthetic rubber in our products.” says Ford research engineer Angela Harris.
The company is also looking at other plant alternatives for long term sustainable goals.
As an avid gardener my mind boggles at the image of purposely growing dandelions.
Read more at TGDaily.com.
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