Anna Spencer writes on the CBC News website about the many benefits of fungi. This article is part of the CBC News initiative entitled “Our Changing Planet” to show and explain the effects of climate change.
From fashion to burials: How fungi can help fight climate change
Fungi are among the oldest organisms on the planet and do much more than feed us.
Neither plant nor animal, fungi are not only an important part of our ecosystem but can also play a large role in the fight against climate change.
Here are some ways fungi help the environment and are becoming the basis for a variety of eco-friendly industries.
Carbon sequestration
Mycorrhizal fungi are a group of fungi in soil that form partnerships with the roots of nearly all plants. Through this partnership, the fungus receives “fixed carbon,” which is what carbon dioxide turns into during photosynthesis, and comes in the form of sugars and fats. In return, the plant gets nutrients from the soil that the fungus has better access to.
“The fungus itself isn’t a carbon store, but it does represent a lot of carbon being held in the soil at any given time,” said Katie Field, a professor of plant soil processes at the University of Sheffield in the U.K. Field said mycorrhizal fungi use the carbon for respiration and secretion, and a small proportion of it goes into long-term storage.
Research shows that this fungi receives between four and 20 per cent of total plant-fixed carbon, while the rest of the carbon stays within the plant for energy and to make other substances. The carbon the fungi receives is the equivalent of up to 36 per cent of yearly global fossil fuel emissions, according to a recent study Field worked on. This number is like a “snapshot in time of the amount of carbon held in fungal biomass,” said Field, and a lot of it will come out of the soil again, so it’s not a long-term storage solution.
A lot of climate models used to determine emissions reduction goals don’t include fungal carbon, said Field. She also said the agriculture industry should think about how to optimize conditions for fungi to grow in order to increase the amount of carbon held in the soil.
“It’s only really now we’re starting to get this sort of appreciation on the global scale of how important [fungi] are, and I think that’s quite exciting,” said Field.
Sustainable fashion
Did you know mushrooms can be used to make clothing?
By 2030, the global market for synthetic leather is estimated to be worth about $66 billion US, according to the Irish-based organization Research and Markets. Synthetic leather is often made from plastics, which is where the term “pleather” comes from. But that isn’t an environmentally friendly alternative to real leather. That’s where mushrooms come into play.
Mycelium is the thin, root-like structure of a fungus. When mycelium is grown with other substances, like sawdust or cotton fibres, it can turn into a material that looks and feels very similar to leather. Some major brands have already released products using this material, including Stella McCartney, Lululemon, Hermes and Adidas.
Earth-friendly burials
Traditional burial rituals aren’t great for the environment. The metal and varnished wood of caskets can release harmful toxins and chemicals into the soil, while embalming involves phenol and formaldehyde, which are classified as highly toxic substances that are harmful to the environment, according to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (2019).
Mushrooms offer an eco-friendly alternative. One way is by dressing bodies in burial suits made of organic cotton that also contain mushroom spores and other microorganisms and placing them directly in the ground. The fungi help the body decompose and turn it into nutrients for the soil.
Typically, such practices can only take place in a “green” cemetery. Currently, there are at least 12 green cemeteries in Canada.
Building materials
Mycelium could also be the future of building materials.
When mycelium is grown with cellulose-rich matter, such as organic waste, it decomposes and binds to it at the same time. This process creates a dense structure that can then be put into moulds and become even stronger. Compared to traditional building materials, like concrete, mycelium bricks take much less energy to produce.
That said, it will probably be a few years before we see these materials used in actual buildings. Mycelium bricks have a much lower compressive strength than concrete — 30 pounds per square inch compared with 4,000 psi, according to a recent study. This means mycelium bricks cannot withstand heavy loads without fracturing or deforming. But they have been used in architectural exhibits, and have the potential to play a larger role in a more sustainable construction industry.
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