The bioeconomy surrounds us but there is enormous potential for more

Batteries that use wood-pulp, plant-based trainers and corn-based forks. They're much closer than you think, and the EU’s new Bioeconomy Strategy aims to supercharge the sector, writes Jessika Roswall

Jessika Roswall: 'Europe’s forests, soils and other ecosystems need to be managed wisely, and within ecological limits.' Photo: Xavier Lejeune

Imagine a world where the everyday products that fill our lives, from plastics and paint to clothes and construction materials, all came from renewable, biological and home-grown natural resources, instead of fossil fuels.   

You would brush your teeth with a wooden toothbrush and apply nail polish made from algae in a home insulated with natural materials. You walk to work in plant-based trainers, carry your lunch in a bio-based plastic bag and eat it with a corn-based fork.