Memo+5-Project+Definition+revised+elaboration+of+Memo+1+for+one+project

Working Title: Sean's life workOR Advocacy for Bioplastics: Environmentalism, addiction and institutionalization OR I should have done a thesis on beer or why everyone likes things better in nugget form

So I'm a bit unsure of how to approach this definition memo. Do I add more or do I cut out stuff that doesn't seem as important now? Am I simply bashing my head against the screen some more until something novel comes out?

-Food, [|Conservation], and Energy Act (FCEA) of 2008 -ASTM and EN standards development -Shifts in personel from Bush to Obama administration -Journal of Polymers and the Environment analysis -DARPA works on bioplastic waste to fuel research for military
 * Topic || Data Sets || Social Theoretical Questions? || Why Now? || How Prepared? || Bias? || Fields of Work? || Funders? ||
 * -Bioplastics A: horizontal across industry || __** Legal:

__Interviews__ **__

1. Steven Levine Part Owner and Director Excellent Packaging & Supply 3220 Blume Dr. Suite 111 Richmond, CA 94806 Home office 707-253-1437 Cell Phone 707-363-5515 Fax 707-261-9741 steve@excellentpackaging.com

Excellent Packaging has been in the packaging business for several generations, and about 8 years ago started offering bioplastic options due to market availability, consumer interest, and (mostly) concerns about environment and local first. It seen like I will be taking a trip out to the Northwest as many companies and groups are working on bioplastics. Excellent Packaging would be an important stop as it lies at the juncture of the raw product, manufactured good, and consumer market.

2. I'd like to speak with a few of the individuals that represent the European Bioplastics consortium. This organization is an industry funded group that is working on producing and promoting bioplastics, waste collection, and composting in the EU. The headquarters of the consortium is in Berlin, Germany.

3. The Institute for Local Self Reliance focuses on local economies and most recently on a carbohydrate economy. They have a sustainable bioplastic division which would be a good starting point for getting a feel for the landscape.

4. In a similar vein the Sustainable Bioplastics Collaborative is an advocacy organization focused on EJ issues, waste, environmentalism, etc. surrounding bioplastics.

5. I'd like to get in touch with a number of recycling industry and waste hauling companies to determine what the status is on concerns of collection, composting, etc. without the initial inquiry I won't know exactly whom to focus on. I'd start with the American Recycler's group that has already expressed concern over the introduction of bioplastics into the market.


 * __Sites and Case Studies__**

1. Novamont Novamont produces a particular type of plastic called Mater-Bi. They are interesting as, from the beginning, decided to go for the most compostable and biodegradable certifications. Their claim is also that no GM based starch feedstocks are used in the products. It would be a bit of a trip as the company headquarters is near Milan, Spain.

2. Natureworks LLC Natureworks is the largest producer of corn starch based plastic, branded as Ingeo. With this one I have a company devoted to their local community, everything is sourced within 30 miles of their plant, but has no interest in the GM debate. They use no.2 feed corn because it is cheap and abundant, but the process could use any sugar (dextrose) source. The product can only be composted in large, well maintained facilities or incinerated. They acknowledge the conflict with existing recycling and are taking steps to work with these institutions. I'd like to talk with people that work in the manufacturing facility as well as the individuals working in the regulatory affairs department. The latter would start with a inquiry with the office of Glenn Johnston, Manager of Global Regulatory Affairs.

Corporate Headquarters NatureWorks LLC 15305 Minnetonka Boulevard Minnetonka, MN 55345 USA

Manufacturing Facility NatureWorks LLC, Manufacturing 650 Industrial Road, PO Box 564 Blair, NE 68008 USA

As alternatives in case the above don't turn out we have:

Companies

 * [|BioBag] (USA, Canada)
 * [|Biosphere Industries](USA)
 * [|BioTuf] (USA)
 * [|Cereplast] (USA)
 * [|Earthcycle Packaging](Canada)
 * [|EarthShell] (USA)
 * [|Econeer] (Korea)
 * [|Innovia Films](International)
 * [|Metabolix] (USA)
 * [|NatureWorks LLC] (USA)
 * [|Novamont, Mater-Bi™](Italy)
 * [|Plantic] (Australia)
 * [|Tianan Biologic Material Co.] (China)

Biodegradable Product Associations

 * [|European Bioplastics]
 * [|The Biodegradable Products Institute], BPI (North America)
 * [|The BioEnvironmental Polymer Society], BEPS (USA)

Bioplastics Industry Associations
How do existing institutions enable and constrain innovation/change amongst existing institutions and newly forming institutions?
 * [|Plastics Environmental Division, Society of Plastic Engineers]
 * [|Japan Bioplastics Association]
 * [|Australasian Bioplastics Association] || A (social/theoretical).

A (focused) How have existing institutions enabled and contrained the development of the bioplastic industry?

B (Social/theoretical).

Are newly developing company's products, decision making, and intentions different than those coming from established industry?

C (social/theoretical). How does the sociocultural backdrop of institutions shape their development?

C (focused). How has the sociocultural backdrop of the EU and the U.S. shaped the institutions forming around bioplastics?

Relevant institutions: 1. Recycling: community based and private industry 2. Composters 3. Waste Collection 4. EPA 5. USDA 6. || I know that institutionalism is a pretty big deal right now, particularly in STS. Many groups are talking about biofuels and how much of a mess these can be, I haven't seen anywhere near as much attention paid to bioplastics. Since the industry is still young I want to understand it as early as possible to hopefully keep some pathways open long enough to take hold. || presently working with an individual that is attempting to put together the beginnings of a bioplastic market in New York. -have been working with Abby on the topic for the last 6 months or so writing bi-weekly memos on books, articles and other thoughts as they come up. --by the end of Kim Fortun's project development course I should have something useful to say --I'm presenting at MIT and plan on presenting at 4S, so I'll get chewed up and learn something. || -biosketch: I am a caucasion, male, who comes from a pretty conservative extended family and a more liberal core family. I've lived both more and less privileged on an economic scale and in a variety of socioeconomic environments, which likely makes me hyper aware of poverty and institutionalized violence against people. I was raised solely by my mother from the age of 14 whom had very little control over me and I disliked my dad, which likely has made me distrustful of authority. I've worked all my life and treat labor as critical to human experience. While I have never worked on a farm or come from a community that is more Ag oriented I appreciate the people who do. I don't know where this occurred, but I'm something of an economic isolationist and cultural voyuer (aka local first and I like to travel)

I hate plastics and consumption. I'm also deeply skeptical of large multinationals taking over this industry like they did with recycling and making it less than desirable. Best bumpersticker "the more you know the less you need" || -Industrial ecology -Local first -sustainable development -Comparative policy studies -State policy and intervention -Agriculture policy -Sociology of institutions

-I'd like to be setup in such a way as to be able to be an academic and have the opportunity to influence policy making. There is also the potential if jobs are scarce to do consultancy work with companies attempting to get into this market. || -NSF http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5324&org=SES

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=11678&org=SES&sel_org=SES&from=fund

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5378&org=SES&sel_org=SES&from=fund

http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=501084&org=SES&sel_org=SES&from=fund

-perhaps some industry money -HASS -Resources for the Future has a variety of relevant fellowships and grants related to environmental policy and resource usage. ||