Thursday, November 29, 2012

Eco Green Living The best fungus for converting waste office shreddings into soil for green roofing London?

Question by .: The best fungus for converting waste office shreddings into soil for green roofing London?
There are proposals to green London’s hi rise flat roofs. The fungi that convert the paper shreddings which are sent to landfill would make an ideal lightweight substrate for converting to soil. What is the best variety?

Best answer:

Answer by belladonna deadlynightshade
Permaculture Answer:

I am sorry I cannot help you with a specific species of fungus.

London is subject to the problem of URBAN HEAT ISLAND EFFECT. (Albedo Effect) which is normally used by Permaculturists as a benefit to the microclimate. I do like the idea of using land fill materials which is a major problem particularly in large cities.

Otherwise soils are going to have to be trans-located from other sites. The energy required to move bulky materials such as soil (energy expensive) or peat based materials (is too high in terms of the environmental costs).

As you too are into fungus there is some amazing New Research paving the way for novel techniques in myco-remediation (using fungus). This then leads onto the use of bacteria which is a natural succession from the fungal myceliated medium, thus allowing the use of human manure (after normal sewage bed treatment).

Human manure which is also a problem resource can then be disposed of by adding to the landfill materials (office shreddings) to put on the roofs as you describe.

We also require a mineral base in a soil. For its long term sustainability this could be supplied by the use of crushed recycled pre-stressed concrete, another reversal of a negative into a positive output in the ever expanding city scape.

The only unknown is what would happen to the CO2 produced by these processes. Which under normal circumstances would be reabsorbed by the surrounding trees and vegetation.

This Research is amazing.

Neutralizing petroleum based hydrocarbons using Mushroom Mycelium. Mushroom mycelium absorbs diesel and denatures it. Well designed for breaking a whole suite of hydro carbon based contaminates. Excellent results on pcbs pcps dioxins, most pesticides most herbicides, petroleum based fuels, diesel, gasoline etc. Once this is re-mediated, phyto-remediation can take place (succession) so that insects and other animals can move in afterwards; you have a holistic eco system.

The chemical make up of oil is very similar to that of wood. The fungus has evolved special enzymes in order to break down cellulose and lignin which is the dark brown stuff in wood. The Mycelium can then be ‘trained’ to digest similar compounds ie pcbs pcps dioxins, most pesticides most herbicides, petroleum based fuels, diesel, gasoline etc. This is done by exposing the Mycelium to small amounts of the toxic material so they then evolve new enzymes in order to digest these materials.

Another amazing bit of research:

Breakthrough research pre-sporalating living mycelium did the opposite of the sporalating mycellium. Insects can be selectively attracted to a locus. A new patent is active against all social insects with a queen up to 200,000 species this will totally revamp pesticide industry.

Add your own answer in the comments!



Tags:best, converting, fungus, Green, into, Living, london, office, Roofing, shreddings, soil, waste

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