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Phoenix666 writes:

The 3D printing revolution brings with it a harmful side effect: the special inks that it uses are derived (for the most part) from environmentally-unfriendly processes involving fossil fuels and toxic byproducts. But now scientists at Chalmers University of Technology have succeeded in using cellulose – the most abundant organic compound on the planet – in a 3D printer. They were also able to create electrically-conductive materials by adding carbon nanotubes.

To be specific, the researchers used nanocellulose obtained from wood pulp. This is the stuff that forms the scaffolding that makes trees able to stand tall. It's available in massive quantities, plus it's biodegradable, incredibly strong, renewable, and reusing it keeps the carbon dioxide it contains from entering the atmosphere.

There you have it. For most uses, you can produce what you need without the elaborate, controlling infrastructure set up by people who don't have your best interests in mind (TM).

kaszz adds: Cellulose from wood can be printed in 3D [Chalmers University of Technology]