Ford is teaming up with McDonald’s to move in a greener direction. Instead of using plastic to make the headlamp housing for vehicles, it will use coffee chaff.
Of course, you may be wondering what is exactly coffee chaff. It is the dried skin that is removed from the coffee bean after the roasting process. It is discarded afterward, which makes it the waste of roasting coffee beans.
However, as the saying goes, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
Ford and Mcdonald’s Have Similar Goals
Just about every company is aware of the plastic pollution epidemic, and many are switching to renewable alternatives. Both companies have similar sustainability goals, which presented a great opportunity to work together.
McDonald’s recently achieved 100% sustainably sourced coffee one year ahead of schedule. And it plans to continue improving its sourcing methods to ensure it minimizes its impact.
Ford has been looking for a sustainable replacement for a decade. It has been researching various organic materials. And it started using soy-based foams all the way back in 2011.
And since coffee is one of the most popular drinks around the world, there will be no shortage of coffee chaffs.
Not Just About the Plastic
If you think the only advantage of the switch is not using plastic, then you are wrong. In reality, the switch in material offers multiple benefits.
For starters manufacturing the part will require 25% less energy during the molding process than with traditional plastic. This alone will go a long way to help reduce the overall greenhouse gas emissions from energy generation.
Another advantage includes the actual weight of the part. The headlamp housing will weigh 20% less than the one made of plastic. And surprisingly, the coffee chaff has better heat values than plastic to boot.
This move will not just be better for the environment, but better for the vehicle as well.
