Tired of boots made from zillion-year-old vegetable matter that causes all sorts of problems? Solution just came in to WildSnow EU HQ — Scarpa will make boot plastic out of castor beans. The new plastic is said to have less carbon footprint than other plastics, but to me the best thing about “Rnew plastic” is the “renewable” source materal is not a food crop. I get pretty bummed when I hear we’re using food to make non-food “save the world” products such as ethanol (or plastic), with so much of the world hungry. That just seems so wrong. But these days you don’t hear much about world hunger, what with fighting global warming being the thing. Condensed press release follows:

Bringing the first freeride and telemark ski boots to market made with bio-based renewable plastic, SCARPA will add three new ski boots to its line for Fall 2009 constructed with a material called Pebax Rnew®, which is made 90 percent from plant-based oil.

Rnew offers performance on par with the materials it currently uses throughout its ski boot line. For skiers, that means the performance they expect but in a form that’s more environmentally-sustainable. Scarpa will build the Tornado Eco and men’s and women’s T2 Eco with Rnew.