It's far from the first company to attempt to make a more environmentally-friendly flash drive, but given the near disposable nature of them these days, that's not exactly a bad thing. This latest drive from Hong Kong-based Hoshino also takes a decidedly different approach than other drives that simply keep the hazardous chemicals and whatnot to a minimum, with it actually constructed out of polylactide (or PLA) made from corn that is, technically, biodegradable. The downside is that in order for it to be broken down, PLA needs to be blasted with heat for ten days on end at a specialized facility, which isn't exactly the most direct route back into the ground, or an accessible option for everybody at the moment (there's also the small matter of it being based on a food product). The drive also apparently isn't available to the general public just yet, but companies interested in doing business with Hoshino can contact 'em for more details.

[Via Everything USB, background on PLA via Smithsonian Magazine]