From Cradle to Grave: Life Cycle Insights from California's Strawberry Fields

What really happens to mulch films after they're used—and which options are truly sustainable? In this episode, PhD candidate Oluwatunmise Dada joins us to break down the full cradle‑to‑grave life cycle of biodegradable and polyethylene mulches in California's strawberry systems. We explore: • How PBAT, PLA, and TPS mulch formulations differ • Why soil biodegradation consistently outperforms other end‑of‑life pathways • The hidden environmental costs of landfilling PE mulch • What sensitivity analysis reveals about degradation rates and transport distances • Key limitations in current LCA methods for soil‑biodegradable materials • Practical takeaways for growers deciding whether to adopt BDMs Dada also shares what excites him most about the future of sustainable materials in agriculture, and what's next as he approaches the finish line of his PhD journey. If you're a grower, researcher, or anyone curious about the future of mulch sustainability, this episode offers clear, science‑based insights you won't want to miss.   This work is supported by Specialty Crops Research Initiative Award 2022-51181-38325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this podcast are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.   Note: Intro and outro music credit to Zakhar Valaha from Pixabay