Hong Kong-based Hoshino today announced the release of what it’s designated “the world’s first bio-degradable USB disk.” I’m always a bit hesitant to accept manufacturers’ claims of world’s first anything, but for the life of me, I can’t remember anyone making a similar claim.

The USB keys are corn-based–the corn is fermented into a material called polylactide (PLA), which, unlike the plastics traditionally used for these devices, can be safely broken down (but we wouldn’t recommend ingesting, popping, or barbecuing it, however).

The key is also shaped like an ear of corn, so you can acknowledge your own greenness, every time you go to retrieve information.