What’s In This Email

• What If Plastic Disappeared in Water? This Engineer Made It Happen

• Is It A Bad Idea to Rely on ChatGPT as a therapist?

• How Our Economy is Celebrating Wealth Again

• Notable Spotlight: International Busker Festival

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✍️ TAKE NOTE

The Former PepsiCo Scientist Who May Have Solved the Plastic Crisis

For decades, the plastic problem has loomed large. Over 400 million tons are produced every year, with most ending up in landfills, oceans, or breaking down into harmful microplastics. While biodegradable plastics and recycling efforts have made some progress, they haven’t come close to solving the problem. But one chemical engineer may have found a breakthrough that could change everything.

Manuel Rendon, a former sustainability scientist at PepsiCo, walked away from the corporate world to tackle what seemed like an impossible challenge: inventing a plastic alternative that could disappear without a trace. After ten years of R&D, over 100 failed prototypes, and countless iterations, he created a material that behaves like plastic but fully dissolves in water — without releasing toxins or microplastics.

His company, Timeplast, now holds a patented formula that mimics the durability and versatility of conventional plastic but is engineered to break down safely and quickly in water. The material has caught the attention of over 1,000 companies testing its potential across sectors like packaging, 3D printing, and logistics.

This isn’t a small pivot. It’s a systems-level reimagining of plastic’s entire lifecycle — one that could eventually disrupt a $1.3 trillion industry.

Key Takeaways

From PepsiCo to Purpose
Manuel Rendon left his role as a sustainability scientist at PepsiCo to focus on solving the root of the plastic problem rather than making small improvements from within a corporation.

Ten Years, 100+ Prototypes
Rendon’s invention didn’t come easy. After a decade of failure and fine-tuning, he finally developed a material that holds up like plastic but dissolves safely in water without leaving microplastics behind.

Tested by 1,000+ Companies
Timeplast’s solution is already being explored by companies across multiple industries — from CPG packaging to 3D printing — positioning it as a scalable, market-ready innovation.

More Than Biodegradable
Unlike traditional biodegradable plastics that still leave harmful residue, Timeplast’s material fully dissolves in water into harmless molecules, effectively resetting the plastic lifecycle.

Why It Matters

We live in a world drowning in plastic. Most “solutions” just slow the damage or shift the waste elsewhere. What Timeplast offers is different — it’s the first real alternative that mimics plastic’s strengths but leaves none of its long-term scars.

For entrepreneurs, this is a case study in bold innovation: leaving the corporate track, taking real risks, and building something that could genuinely reshape an industry. It’s also a call to action — whether you're in sustainability, product design, or just trying to build a better business, real change often starts with stepping away from the status quo and building the thing no one else believes is possible.

The future of plastic might not be less of it — it might be smarter, safer, and designed to disappear. And that future might already be here.

Read the full article.

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International Busker Festival

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🧠 Today We Learned: Fred Baur, the inventor of the Pringles can, had his ashes partially buried in a Pringles can after he passed away in 2008.

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Disclosure: While we utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to assist with certain aspects of content development, all information provided in our content is thoroughly vetted and edited by our team of humans. We strive to ensure the accuracy and reliability of all information. However, we recommend that readers conduct research or seek professional advice to make informed decisions. This email may contain sponsored content.