A rare weekend post to OOM…but I saw this over at the Wired blog and I couldn’t help myself.

A 16-year-old Canadian, Daniel Burd, won his science fair and the envy of the entire international science community by isolating a bacteria that decomposes plastic. Fast. While the average plastic bag decomposes in approximately 1000 years, Daniel speculates that, using the bacteria he’s isolated, that same bag would decompose in about 3 months.

Best thing about kids? They see a problem and fix it while adults everywhere are just throwing up their hands. According to his local paper:

“Almost every week I have to do chores and when I open the closet door, I have this avalanche of plastic bags falling on top of me,” he said. “One day, I got tired of it…”
….

“This is a huge, huge step forward . . . We’re using nature to solve a man-made problem.” Burd said.

He would like to take his project further and see it be used. He plans to study science at university, but in the meantime he’s busy with things such as student council, sports and music.

Congratulations, Daniel. I hope you have an awesome summer vacation.  Anyone who helps save the world deserves at least that.