According to statistics, Americans used about 50 billion plastic water bottles during 2017. That doesn’t even account for worldwide plastic bottle use. That number requires 17 million barrels of oil and the sad part is that less than a quarter gets recycled. A lot of people grab plastic bottles and take them to go. Rather than carrying an empty bottle around when they are finished, the average Americans just throws it away or discards it somewhere. What if water came in an edible container?
A London-based startup has been working on a way to help eliminate plastic bottle waste. Skipping Rocks Lab is a sustainable packaging company that uses plant extracts and seaweed to create eco-friendly packaging. The end goal is to inhibit one billion plastic bottles from reaching the ocean each year, and to stop 300 million kilograms of CO2 emissions. The company recently developed Ooho, an on-the-go water pod, with the hopes of decreasing plastic waste. Not only is the edible packaging great for water and cheaper than plastic, but it can also be used for certain cosmetics, juices, and other liquids.
The reality is that these water pods probably won’t replace commercial water bottles anytime soon, but it is a step in a greener direction. While the company is still in the beginning stages, you can take other measures to help reduce plastic bottle waste. Carry around a reusable, stainless steel bottle! Not only are these readily available, but most of them are also insulated, which means that your water can remain cold or your tea can remain hot for hours and hours.
You could purchase a Berkey filter to avoid purchasing plastic bottles for consumption at home. These filters help to get rid of most toxins in water that commercial filters cannot. If you still buy plastic bottles, make sure that you are buying bottles made from recycled materials. And don’t forget to recycle when you are done using it!
