A. Schulman

Where Money Goes to Die

A lot of businesses want to attract "old money.

"Ford is no exception – only it's more interested in the shredded-up variety than in the kind that belongs to a fancy country club.Stepping up its efforts to curb the use of petroleum-based products, the automaker announced last month that it's attempting to use old U.S. cash to make trays and bins for its vehicles. Ford (NYSE:F) already employs a range of alternative materials in the manufacturing of its products, including plastic bottles to make seat fabric and denim to muffle sound. The company is looking at ways to incorporate dandelions, coconuts and sugarcane into future vehicle parts as well.But U.S. paper currency is arguably the most interesting ingredient in Ford's recipe book. After all, it's hard to imagine that there's a supply of old bills that exists outside of a collector's safe or government vault – and if there is, that it isn't serving some lofty purpose.The reality is that old cash abounds, and with almost nowhere to g...

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