Green Daily

It seems plants are catching up with petroleum.

Researchers at Clemson University have created a biodegradable faux-plastic bottle. It's made from sugar and fiber.

The EarthBottle is made from polylactic acid, which is basically a starch and sugar blend made from, in this instance, corn. It's then blended with other plant-based materials such as flax or cotton that make the bottle sturdier and less permeable. Add a few anti-microbial properties and you have a container that that's molded in a variety of sizes and colors, just like plastic.

It's lighter than plastic, non-breakable and uses no petroleum.

Danny Roberts is one of the brains behind the EarthBottle. he says independent research is currently being done to determine how quickly an EarthBottle would break down in a landfill. Roberts says the product will be available in stores soon, but for now the company Gaia Herbs is using the bottles for its new ChaiFresh Line of products.

Chia, in this instance, is not a spiced Indian tea with milk. That's Chai. The peeps at Gaia say Chia is a plant rich is omega-3 fatty acids. It's native to Bolivia and cultivated around the world. The company is launchins a line of products using the EarthBottle as packaging.