Memo+9-Structuring+a+Project

Legal and Legislative: -Biobased and biodegradability standards are released in Europe and U.S. -RPS (renewable portfolio standards) are mandated in several states which require government entities to purchase 'greener' goods.

Technological: -PLA is developed -Life cycle analysis are performed on bio and petrol plastics -New resins are developed that perform as well or better than dino-plastic -GM gets a boost by introducing enhanced microbes that produce polymers in situ -No one has figured out how to compost compostables

Economic: -Gas gets expensive and then a bit less so -The U.S. economy tanks -Local economies are reinvestigated for new market development -The U.S. trade deficit is terrible, Ag gets a nod Social/Political/Cultural: -People start feeling bad about their carbon footprints -Environmentalism is institutionalized -A midwesterner is elected as President, Ag gets a boost -The election of a black man as President gets people thinking about what other crazy stuff we should be trying -People get concerned about oil -People want local based goods -People want to reinvigorate U.S. manufacturing and Agriculture -People find out that plastic is made out of oil

Natural: -Plastic kills cute animals (this would also be in culture) -Using oil tends to damage the environment -