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Scientists discovered a mushroom that eats plastic, and believe it could clean our landfills.

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Fungi Mutarium mushroom eats plasticwww.youtube.com

Plastic waste is one of the biggest environmental issues of our time. And while a straw ban is not the way we're going to solve it — here's why – people everywhere are looking for ways to reduce plastic use and mitigate the effects of waste.

From handing out plastic bags with embarrassing labels to removing the plastic from six-packs to harnessing the power of a plastic-eating mutant (bacteria), more and more of us are working to find solutions to a growing global program.

Add one more strange and awesome plastic-killing discover to the list: A rare mushroom that feasts on plastic the same way you or I would when we go to that $5 buffet at Cici's. (I have been only once and I'm still thinking about it, even though just the thoughts are bad for my blood pressure.)

According to reports, the mushroom's plastic-devouring properties were first discovered in 2011, when a team of Yale undergraduates and their professor traveled to Ecuador for a research trip. They found the mushroom — Pestalotiopsis microspora — in the amazon and were astounded to find that the fungus not only subsists on polyurethane (it's the first plant to sustain itself only on plastic), but could do so without oxygen.

That means it could be planted at the bottom of landfills and happily eat its fill of plastic for eons to come! (Just like us at Cici's pizza!)

IRAQ-SOCIETY-POVERTY AFP/Getty Images

Despite our best efforts at increasing conservation and reducing waste, the U.S. continues to produce more plastic waste each year, while other recent studies suggest that recycling of plastic waste is actually declining.

The amount of plastic waste that we're producing is estimated to rise 3.8% each year, with an estimated 40 million tons of plastic waste expected to be generated in 2019 alone by American companies and consumers. National Geographic says that over the past 60 years, we've created an estimated 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic waste. An astonishing 83.7% of that waste is expected to end up in landfills. Anything we can do to put a dent into the damage we're creating could make a world of difference for us and the planet.

NEPAL-ENVIRONMENT-RECORD AFP/Getty Images

Will these mushrooms be the end to our plastic problems? More research is needed to tell. Until then, we can all help keep landfills cleaner by avoiding single-use plastics in our lives.

From Your Site Articles

18 fabulous fungi photos that call into question everything you know about nature.

It's 2016. Isn't it time you let mushrooms into your heart?

Fungi (think mushrooms, lichens, and slime molds) are actually really fun, guys.

Dad jokes aside, mushrooms and other fungi are diverse, colorful, textured, and just plain strange. Their beauty is remarkable and unexpected, challenging every notion about what fungi should be. I wanted to know more about these organisms, so I went straight to the source: fungi fanatic Stephen Axford.

All photos by Stephen Axford, used with permission.

Axford takes beautiful photographs of weird and wonderful fungi near his home in rural New South Wales, Australia, and on expeditions around the world.

He's traveled to China, Thailand, and Russia to shoot nature at its best. But why fungi?

"I was into going out as far away into the bush as I could, away from people. And I came across mushrooms, and they seemed quite photogenic," Axford said. "I didn't know much about fungi at the time, but ... people explained things and I got to know quite a few mycologists, and one thing led to another."

Now, Axford runs his own photo website and a popular Facebook page dedicated to his fungi photography. His work is also slated to appear in BBC's "Planet Earth II." And as you can imagine, his passion for these organisms is contagious.

Think you can get through this collection of Stephen Axford's photos without falling in love with all things fungi? Good luck.

I mean, come on, the colors of this Anthracophyllum archeri are almost intoxicating.

And the smooth lines of this Bisporella citrina are the stuff modern artists dream about.

Fungi shapes can vary wildly too. This crinipellis looks part jellyfish.

And did we take a trip under the sea? Nope, that's not coral. It's Clavaria zollingeri.

The Cyathus striatus or "bird's nest" fungi is less "birds nest" and more "straight-up magic."

And the Cookeina tricholoma look like ... well. OK, let's just move on.

Mycena interrupta might appear to be something out of "Avatar," but they're here. On this planet. RIGHT NOW. No hair-horse bond required.

Prefer something a little more, "Seuss-ian" in nature? Say no more, fam.

Panus lecomtei.

Or perhaps you require a mushroom where you can keep earrings, paper clips, secrets, and spare batteries. Cue the Plectania campylospora.

And Leratiomyces may look like a fancy sugar cookie you buy at the bakery, but do not eat it. Trust me on this one.

I'm sorry, is this not a magical house where fairies live? Oh, just a Leptonia. My mistake.

Now you may be thinking, "Glittery, glamorous fungi? That don't impress me much." Well, these creepy looking lichens are just for you, Shania Twain.

Or better yet, how about this fungi that is not here for your body-shaming.

And this slime mold screams personality. Not really though, that would be terrifying.

And finally this Mycena chlorophos glows in the dark. It GLOWS IN THE DARK! Are you not entertained?

Chlorophos before chlorabros.

The beauty, wonder, and ecological diversity in fungi are truly staggering.

Axford is essentially a citizen scientist, traveling and lending his talent to experts and researchers, many of whom haven't had the opportunity to document these particular types of mushrooms and fungi in their natural state. It's his own way of contributing to the greater good and advancing conservation in his corner of the world.

"There aren't enough scientists to go around," he said. "So people like myself can actually do something useful, something important, in tracing how things work."

Whether it's fungi photos or something altogether different, taking part in the care and conservation of our natural lands is something all of us can do. And who knows what gems and surprises you'll discover along the way.