Disposable wooden cutlery, SEM

Disposable wooden cutlery. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a longitudinal fracture through a bundle of tracheid cells from a wooden fork. Disposable wooden utensils are a sustainable way to reduce reliance on plastics, particularly in the restaurant industry. They use less resources, produce less byproducts, and create less waste than single-use plastics. Wooden utensils are also biodegradable and compostable. Home composting is easy with the products naturally decomposing in 3 months.This image shows tracheid cells of the xylem that transport water and mineral nutrients from the roots throughout the plant. The thick lignin cell walls also provide structural support for the stem. Magnification: x250 when printed at 10 centimetres wide., by STEVE GSCHMEISSNER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY