GoHenry, a debit card and financial education app designed for children ages 6-18, has announced the launch of its first fully biodegradable debit card made from plants that promises to decompose after use, not in your wallet.
“Not only are we helping kids and teenagers educate themselves on the importance of financial literacy to help their future, we have given them a debit card that won’t negatively affect the environment of the generations after them,” said GoHenry president and co-founder Dean Brauer. “Our younger generations are increasingly knowledgeable and concerned about the changing environment around them. Offering this biodegradable card allows kids to take control and make a difference in our environment.”
Unlike the traditional plastic debit cards that take over 400 years to decompose, GoHenry’s new biodegradable debit cards are made from a renewable material derived from field corn called polylactic acid (PLA) and will break down in as little as six months when exposed to sunlight, soil, and the microorganisms found in soil.
The microorganisms in the soil are the key to converting the PLA material to carbon dioxide; without them working their magic the card will remain intact, ensuring it is every bit as robust as conventional debit cards. It has been rigorously tested to withstand all the stresses of everyday life, including drink spills, wet wallets and other mishaps that inevitably happen to all of us.
When users are ready to dispose of this card, all they need to do is remove the chip portion of the card, as well as the magnetic strip, cut the card up to protect any personal information and simply throw the biodegradable part of the card in the trash.
“GoHenry kids love to express themselves through their choice of card, so we knew that our biodegradable debit cards needed standout designs. Our young customers can choose from three designs, which represent growth and the natural world and circle of life,” added Brauer. “We think that our biodegradable debit cards make the ultimate statement: every GoHenry kid who carries it is committed to protecting the environment.”
