Two students from the Mexican university UNAM have won a prize for making a bioplastic straw from mango and the baba (for non-Mexicans this is a type of “slime” similar to that produced when cooking okra) of the nopal cactus. (1)

1. https://news.culturacolectiva.com/mexico/alumnas-de-la-unam-crean-popote-con-cascara-de-mango-y-baba-de-nopal/?fbclid=IwAR3zHp6JCJc25t6Cyvzte_CmBH3058D6BAAIioZ-IpT5pYQsKD0BTOySDyk

This cactus is amazing. Apart from being a potential foodstuff of the future it is also capable of producing a non-toxic biodegradable plastic potentially capable of replacing single use plastic bags……(1)

1. https://www.efeverde.com/noticias/mexico-plastico-biodegradable-jugo-nopal/?fbclid=IwAR3-AZ59QU7SVTkLYfOc-nxTALYLuTK-JosnEq1u_zLrzQISYP8yuc5sxD0

……..and can be made into a powder which can filter toxic metals and bacteria from polluted drinking water. (1)(2)

1. https://www.efeverde.com/noticias/nopal-mexicano-permite-purificar-agua/?fbclid=IwAR0YoGcfJMDy6M65JBwGIaH-U9t7nS2_wxA80Jp8_WEJnULVj4vgDLkdqZ4
2. Buttice, Audrey L., Stroot, Joyce M., Lim, Daniel V., Stroot, Peter G. and Alcantar, Norma A. : Removal of Sediment and Bacteria from Water Using Green Chemistry : Environmental Science & Technology 2010 44 (9), 3514-3519 : DOI: 10.1021/es9030744