Eco-Stories: Cinderella and Three Little Eco-pigs
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC), this resource contains two traditional fairy tales that have been given an environmental twist. Cinderella must go to the ball with the smallest carbon footprint she can and the Three Little Pigs choose different materials to build their houses: concrete, wood and hemp. Read the…
5/5- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Textbook
Grow Sunflowers, Make Plant Pots
This resource, from the National Non-Food Crops Centre (NNFCC), explains how children can grow their own sunflowers and how plant oils can be made into plastic. It helps to demonstrate how sunflowers can be grown to produce a renewable supply of plant oil. This activity can be done at home or in school and allows children to…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Teacher guidance
Short Rotation Coppice Willow
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) willow. This is grown as a high biomass energy crop across the UK. SRC Willow is a woody perennial crop, the rootstock remaining in the ground after harvest with new shoots emerging the following spring. Plantations can remain viable…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Starch
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at the production and industrial use of starch and modified starches. These have a broad range of uses in the food and non-food sectors. Starch can be either used in its native (unmodified) form or, if specific properties are required, it can be chemically modified.…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Succinic Acid
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet gives an overview of the current and potential market for biorenewable succinic acid. This is generally derived from petrochemicals and used in applications such as food and drinks, pharmaceuticals, solvents and biodegradable plastics. This factsheet also looks at the production…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Miscanthus
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at miscanthus, which has been grown in the UK for a number of years as an energy crop. The harvested material can currently be used to generate heat and power and in the future may be used as a feedstock for advanced biofuels. The factsheet looks at the growth, harvesting,…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Renewable Building Materials
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet provides an introduction to the properties and advantages of renewable building materials. Renewable materials based on plants offer a sustainable alternative to conventional products in many applications. The factsheets give information on: • introduction to renewable…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Ethanol
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet gives an overview of the current and potential market for biorenewable ethanol in chemical applications. It explores the production and uses of bioethanol. Bioethanol can be produced by the fermentation. Starch and sugar feedstocks are also food crops and so significant…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Hemp
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at hemp, which is grown widely as a fibre crop in Europe and is now also an established minor crop in the UK. Hemp may be grown for both its fibre and oil, and also shows potential as a renewable energy feedstock. The factsheet describes the growth, harvesting,…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Lactic Acid
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at the production of lactic acid from plant-based feedstock. Lactic acid can be produced by the fermentation of starch and has a wide range of uses. These include: • the food and beverage sector • pharmaceutical and chemical industries • personal…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Lignin
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet gives an overview of the current and potential market for lignin-based materials. Isolated lignin is used in a wide range of low volume, niche applications. As lignosulfate, it is used in areas such as dye manufacture, resins, concrete admixtures and pesticides. The…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Bioplastics
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet illustrates the benefits of using bioplastics, their production, properties and uses. The attraction of bioplastics is they deliver environmental benefits even when they aren’t biodegradable. Durables like polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet
Artemisia Crops to Treat Malaria
From the National Non-Food Crops Centre, this factsheet looks at the challenges of growing the crop Artemisia annua in the UK. The plant produces a compound, artemisinin which is a complex metabolite that cannot be synthesised readily in the laboratory. Artemisinin is an antimalarial drug and can be used to treat malaria parasites…
- 5/5
- Publication year: 2010 to date
- Information sheet