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Instead of burning coconuts, they can be used as a natural alternative to fibreglass. (http://www.livescience.com/environment/090106-coconut-cars.html)

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/501/coconut.jpgRobin Lloyd - Live Science – Jan 6, 2009

If Baylor University makes a football helment out of this, will alumuni Mike Singletary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Singletary)be able to break it? (yes, he did that in practice once) -- Ed.

Researchers in Texas are making car parts out of coconuts.

A team at Baylor University there has made trunk liners, floorboards and car-door interior covers using fibers from the outer husks of coconuts, replacing the synthetic polyester fibers typically used in composite materials.

The approach has potential because coconuts are an abundant, renewable resource in all countries near the equator, including the Philippines, Indonesia and India. The husks are burned or thrown away, generating garbage. This is the first time that coconut fibers have been used to make these automotive products, said Walter Bradley, an engineering professor who is leading the project...http://www.livescience.com/environment/090106-coconut-cars.html

Sic 'Em Bears!! I'm glad my alma mater is doing something like this!

Ah, that nice "new car smell" --- (Coconut???)

Ah, that nice "new car smell" --- (Coconut???)

I think it would be a trade off. You might not get the new car smell, but you would get a built in air freshener :)

One more thing to be careful of, some people have alergies to coconut. It would suck to be alergic to your car...

Sadly, that coveted new car smell is a toxic cloud of formaldehyde and other VOCs emitted by the plastic dashboard and other interior parts as well as the synthetic upholstery and carpeting. :eek:

Maybe this material will have less outgassing.

I guess we have to consider what causes more CO2 production, simply burning the husks... or processing and shipping them to auto manufacturers? Its a neat idea, but is it a bit of a green wash?

When I was a kid-coco mats-front door mats to scrub your feet on- were common. I wonder if they were actually coconut fibers? Anyone know what they were?

On allergies-my guess is that most or all the proteins are removed during processing, and those that aren't are locked up in the resin or they are so denatured by the heat that they aren't allergens anymore. Most antigens/allergens are proteins-a very few aren't. You could probably "cook" the allergens out of a mat , if you were using it for rug/carpet backing.

Charlie

I guess we have to consider what causes more CO2 production, simply burning the husks... or processing and shipping them to auto manufacturers? Its a neat idea, but is it a bit of a green wash?

Well maybe my alma mater, MSU can develop a palm/coconut that thrives near Detroit. Otherwise, its time to build the factories in the tropics :)

I see it now - a Coconuts to Coconuts study

Because it must be done, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4_9kDO3q0w