Nature is the original chemist carrying out an inconceivable numbers chemical transformations each second with a volume that dwarfs the combined output of every chemical company and an elegance that puts the occupants of the best chemistry departments to shame. Capturing and harnessing the power of biological processes to carry out chemical transformations can be a powerful strategy for a sustainable economy. Oriented toward renewable, bio-based feedstocks, these processes (e.g., fermentation) can be utilized for production of materials in a manner that is supportive of and conducive to life.