Tag Archives: Phil Riebel

This is a good nanocellulose video? Really!?!

Perhaps I’ve lost my grip but this video seems a little lacking and, frankly, very 1950s/60s in spirit, if not in look when they would have used much brighter colours. I’m talking about the TAPPI ((Technical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry) video mentioned in a Feb. 23, 2012 news item on Nanowerk,

A new video on potential applications for nanotechnology in the forest products industry has been widely adopted as a teaching and learning tool. [emphasis mine] Dozens of organizations have added it to their website and the video website has been visited 1037 times in the past three months. The video clearly and concisely covers current uses of tree fiber and the tremendous potential of nanotechnology for development of new products.

What would you be teaching and/or learning from this video? For anyone who’s curious, here it is,

Based on the information in this video and assuming the individual had no prior knowledge of nanocellulose , could the average person describe or discuss it after watching this video? At the best, someone might be able to say there’s something really small in a tree called nanocellulose and it can be used for all kinds of things, like cars and food.  Is this really TAPPI’s and its partners’ concept of a “learning and teaching tool?” It looks more like a public relations ‘fluff’ piece to me.

(The Rethinktrees.org website listed at the end of the video does not yet seem to be functional and you will be rerouted to a TAPPI page. So for anyone who wants to see the video in its ‘native habitat’, you can go here.)

Apparently, I am alone in my jaundiced view of this video production. From the news item,

“Congratulations on an outstanding video presentation! The Rethink trees video presents a high quality message of the new directions our industry is taking into innovative fields such as nanotechnology,” states Richard Berry, VP and Chief Technology Officer, CelluForce Inc. “We are very proud to be part of this adventure.”

“The TAPPI Nanotechnology video does a superb job of telling the story of how forests can be managed responsibly to make sustainable products. Not only paper, but new generations of innovative materials as well like liquid biodiesel and nanocellulose that can be used in a multitude of applications. Imagine filling your car with biodiesel made from wood – this will be a reality in the near future. Forests are not only renewable, they have a multitude of other environmental benefits that are essential to our planet and, as the TAPPI video states, they hold the secrets to many future sustainable products,” according to Phil Riebel, President,Two Sides U.S.

There is an interesting point made by Michael Crumpacker (love that last name) about why we might want to include farmed trees in our notion of environmental sustainability (from the news item),

“In our society we love being politically correct and jumping on the band wagon to spread information even if it’s incorrect. A perfect example is the statement: “Please consider the environment before printing this email.” The truth is that if you did consider the environment you would print the email because trees are renewable, recyclable and sustainable and pulp is a cash crop that is grown by farmers and healthy for the environment. For every tree harvested in the United States four are planted. If we keep eliminating the need for paper, fewer companies will be willing or able to afford to manage our forests, ” notes Michael Crumpacker, President, TCC Printing & Imaging. [emphasis mine]

I think he means tree farms as it would be ridiculous to say that forests need to be managed by companies. After all, forests have grown and developed for centuries without any need for management from forest companies.

It’s good to start the day with a laugh. I hope you enjoyed the video as much as I did.