In the future, our paper will be ……
02 Sep,2021
Recycled paper with higher strength and elasticity will definitely be popularized all over the world. As we all know, classical paper largely consumes trees. Data shows that about 80,000 to 160,000 trees are cut down for papermaking every day in the world. Over time, the forest resources on the earth will disappear.
However, this issue will be solved if recycled paper substitute for classical paper, because recycled paper is produced by using wastepaper as raw materials. Therefore, recycled paper will be popularized for various reasons, such as government policies and environmental protection organizations’ publicity.
Admittedly, the technology that allow ordinary recycled paper to be high-quality would initially make it limit to relatively developed countries, even if recycled paper with strength and elasticity required only pulp instead of logs. However, with the continuous development and improvement of this technology, the process of manufacturing recycled paper with strength and elasticity will become simpler and the cost will get lower and lower, which makes recycled paper be acceptable by various countries.
When recycled paper reaches to every family, it will be applied in several field. The most basic paper supplies such as textbooks and notebooks are the most likely to be replaced by recycled paper. Also, recycled paper will contribute to the fashion field. Clothes made of recycled paper may not only lead a new fashion trend, but also be able to promote saving paper. In addition, Recycled paper of sufficient strength can also be used to construct building. Compared with buildings that made of concrete, paper buildings are cheaper and lighter, even it can be moved and carried whenever people want.
With further research, recycled paper will be used in more and more fields, and will bring several unexpected benefits to people.
In our project, synthetic biology is used in this area. We use E.coli as a tiny factory to produce sericin and chitosan, so as to improve the quality of Recycled paper. This is a very economical way to do it. E.coli is a harmless organism to human beings and the environment. It can not only efficiently produce the target protein, but also help us to regulate its growth. One day, we may see more recycled paper being produced and used in this way.
