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Dunno if this has been posted before, to lazy to utfse, but another brilliant idea by our beloved mycophillic genius:

Life Box: Paul Stamets Unveils Brilliant Seed-Sprouting Cardboard Box

by Thomas Ermacora, 07/02/10

Just think – what if all the cardboard boxes that you receive when you buy online from Amazon or Apple had seeds in them and you could simply put them in your nearest plot of soil and grow some baby trees? Well that is just what the incredible mycologist and mycomimicry advocate Paul Stamets has done by releasing the Life Box™. It can be made to virtually any dimension, does not increase the cost of shipping, and the tree seed mix has been approved by the Department of Agriculture for planting in every state in the continental United States (not Hawaii), and Canada. It’s so smart that Al Gore, who is always ahead of the curve, decided to ship his new book ‘Our Choice‘ in them!

Just think – what if all the cardboard boxes that you receive when you buy online from Amazon or Apple had seeds in them and you could simply put them in your nearest plot of soil and grow some baby trees? Well that is just what the incredible mycologist and mycomimicry advocate Paul Stamets has done by releasing the Life Box™. It can be made to virtually any dimension, does not increase the cost of shipping, and the tree seed mix has been approved by the Department of Agriculture for planting in every state in the continental United States (not Hawaii), and Canada. It’s so smart that Al Gore, who is always ahead of the curve, decided to ship his new book ‘Our Choice‘ in them!

If you do the math it is quite impressive what one could achieve with this clever box: a 1-2% share of the cardboard box market in the United States could cover up to 25,000 acres of land per week! Of the hundreds of tree seeds in each box, if only one survives for 30 years, approximately one ton of carbon will be sequestered. Therefore, the potential for coverage by trees coming from Life Boxes™ expands from 25,000 acres to 25,000,000 acres per week.

Paul Stamets says “the Life Box™ is a form of social as well as ecological currency and a shovel ready do-it-yourself climate change solution“. Planting trees also provides more shade for buildings to reduce the use of air-conditioning, helps the soil hold more moisture, preserves aquifers and even prevents flooding in cities as Andy Lipkis has demonstrated in LA. The Life Box™ is manufactured in the United States using recycled cardboard and soy-based inks. So what are you waiting for? Go plant one today!

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It would be great if you could choose the "flavour" of your box when ordering something. :wink:

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I have heard of this it is a great idea to get rid of all that unwanted cardboard!

He even has a myco carpenter ant home defence system. Is there anything mushrooms cant do?

:)

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that is a brilliant idea. could be a few hiccups with it. but overall a really great way to get lots of seeds plants easily!

Next stop mushroom spores sprayed on all cardboard :)

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I'll take one seeded with Acacia obtusifolia & P azure.

Only too happy to do my part for the environment.

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So are the seeds in the cardboard pulp?, ...so that once it degrades the seeds grow. Is this the idea, this is great if it is.

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HAs anyone seen his TED lecture? I'm pretty sure the boxes have spores in them because he was saying in the lecture something about using fungi to grow forests from a box. Didn't really get what he was on about at the time but get it now.

 

 

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can't see the forest for the trees?

heh

i'm guessing something to do with the fact that forests aren't just trees.

although they aren't just trees and fungi either.

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Yeah the box is dusted with mycorrhizal fungal spores

The Life Box

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Thanks magic I get it now..., this is so cool btw.

The Tree Life Box™ is made of recycled paper fiber. In this fiber, we have inserted a wide variety of tree seeds, up to a hundred, dusted with mycorrhizal fungal spores. The mycorrhizal fungi protect and nurture the young seedlings. For millions of years, plants and beneficial fungi have joined together in a mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship.

The fungi "sprout" or germinate to form an attachment with root cells and extend into the soil with a network of fine cobweb of cells called mycelium. The mycelium mothers the seed nursery by providing nutrients and water, thus protecting the growing trees from disease, drought, and famine.

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I have been busting to see this become a reality and wonder why it has taken so long...If I had money thats what I would be investing in...what a brilliant idea...

And Fungal...I do pray that is not your child in your avatar... the childs parents should have been thrashed to within inches of their lives...that sickens me when I see children abused like that..

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I have been busting to see this become a reality and wonder why it has taken so long...If I had money thats what I would be investing in...what a brilliant idea...

And Fungal...I do pray that is not your child in your avatar... the childs parents should have been thrashed to within inches of their lives...that sickens me when I see children abused like that..

 

It's a picture of me as a li'l tacker :P

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I have one of these boxes sitting at home right now. It came when my friend and I ordered some spawn from fungi perfecti (we live in Oregon, USA). They are full of native tree and shrub seeds as well as dusted with mycorrhizal fungus spores and come with special instructions. It's cool that he is shipping some products in these.

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