Frankentrees

somehow i have managed to make two blogs disappear with the innovative tabs at the top of my screen. not since the 90's did i think it was possible to lose data, but here i am, writing this same paragraph for the third time in a couple of days. i was writing about michelle kaufman designs, the architecture firm on the west coast which designs and manufactures green prefab houses. these spectacular dwellings not only look like an exceptional piece of architecture, but come with grey water systems, LED lighting, radiant heat, PV systems, green roofing and more. website: mkd-arc.com

today the new york times had an article about scientists reducing the chemical lignin in trees in order to potentially increase the production of ethanol. the idea is that through the lessening of this chemical, the cellulose would be able to break down more readily. the use of steam and acids is currently employed in the breakdown of the starch in corn for ethanol and by paper companies. there are hopes that perhaps a 50% reduction in lignin would increase our ethanol supplies. the fear by some tree scientists is that the long term repercussions of this tree engineering could result in transmuted natural trees from the pollen of transgenic low lignin lab trees.