Paul Stamets How Mushrooms Can Save the World
Rachel Bohnenberger
Professor Van Doorn
ENVS 150-002
5 March 2015
Critique Five In the first TED Talk, Paul Stamets discusses how six types of mushrooms may be able to save the world. He states how mushrooms contain antibiotics and some of the best antibiotics that humans use come from mushrooms. He explains how the mycelium fungus plays a key part in cleaning polluted soil, making insecticides, treating smallpox and maybe even various flu viruses. The mycelium fungus is able to absorb oils and in turn, restore natural habitats in the ecosystem. Mushrooms, he states are also able to provide extracts that are able to attack flu viruses such as H1N1, H3N2, and H5N1. Stamets then tells an anecdote that summarizes how extracts from the mycelium fungus is capable of acting as an insecticide that is safer than the more harsh chemicals that are currently used. He finally states that how mycelium converts cellulose into fungal sugars and from that, he came up with Econol, a more environmentally friendly fuel source. While watching the TED Talk, I couldn’t help but think how, even though using the fungi may benefit humans and the environment more than current sources, there may be people who are still unable to use the products made from fungus. That is because of a mushroom allergy. I know that, while the use of the products is better for the environment, my mom is highly allergic to mushrooms and will not be able to use the products as a result. Although having a resource like the mushrooms is readily available and renewable, people who are allergic to mushrooms and mushroom products will not be able to use the products made from mycelium even though it would be better for the environment. In the second TED Talk, Janine Benyus discusses biomimicry. Biomimicry is the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. What Benyus emphasizes in the talk is that humans were not the first organisms
Professor Van Doorn
ENVS 150-002
5 March 2015
Critique Five In the first TED Talk, Paul Stamets discusses how six types of mushrooms may be able to save the world. He states how mushrooms contain antibiotics and some of the best antibiotics that humans use come from mushrooms. He explains how the mycelium fungus plays a key part in cleaning polluted soil, making insecticides, treating smallpox and maybe even various flu viruses. The mycelium fungus is able to absorb oils and in turn, restore natural habitats in the ecosystem. Mushrooms, he states are also able to provide extracts that are able to attack flu viruses such as H1N1, H3N2, and H5N1. Stamets then tells an anecdote that summarizes how extracts from the mycelium fungus is capable of acting as an insecticide that is safer than the more harsh chemicals that are currently used. He finally states that how mycelium converts cellulose into fungal sugars and from that, he came up with Econol, a more environmentally friendly fuel source. While watching the TED Talk, I couldn’t help but think how, even though using the fungi may benefit humans and the environment more than current sources, there may be people who are still unable to use the products made from fungus. That is because of a mushroom allergy. I know that, while the use of the products is better for the environment, my mom is highly allergic to mushrooms and will not be able to use the products as a result. Although having a resource like the mushrooms is readily available and renewable, people who are allergic to mushrooms and mushroom products will not be able to use the products made from mycelium even though it would be better for the environment. In the second TED Talk, Janine Benyus discusses biomimicry. Biomimicry is the design and production of materials, structures, and systems that are modeled on biological entities and processes. What Benyus emphasizes in the talk is that humans were not the first organisms