Neither plant nor animal, fungi are not only an important part of our ecosystem but can also play a large role in the fight against climate change. Here are some ways fungi help the environment and are becoming the basis for a variety of eco-friendly industries.

• Carbon sequestration — Mycorrhizal fungi in soil form partnerships with the roots of plants and can store plant-fixed carbon…
• Sustainable fashion — Synthetic leather is often made from plastics, however research has found a way to make fungal mycelium into a product that looks and feel very similar to leather.
• Earth-friendly burials — Mushrooms offer an eco-friendly alternative to traditional caskets. By dressing bodies in burial suits made of organic cotton that also contain mushroom spores fungi help the body decompose and turn it into nutrients for the soil.
• Building materials — Mycelium could also be the future of building materials, creating organic bricks for a sustainable construction industry.