Five Eco-Friendly Inventions

Many of us are concerned about the environment.  Thankfully, some inventors are working hard to come up with new ways to save the planet.

The Ocean Clean Up Project

Boyan Slat, a young Dutch inventor, established The Ocean Cleanup because he wanted to use the power of technology to reduce the amount of plastic in our oceans.  His 62-mile trash trap sits underwater, waiting to capture any plastic floating around.  Once trapped, the plastic is removed from the ocean and used to produce sustainable products.

Consumable Water Bottles

I bet you never imagined you could eat water!  But that's precisely what you can do thanks to this next invention. Ooho Water comes in a consumable design that resembles a drop of liquid.  Its outer layer is made of seaweed extract; you can pop the entire thing in your mouth all at once! But you don't have to eat it.  The outer layer is compostable, so even if you don't consume the whole pod, you won't be littering the planet. This genius invention comes from Skipping Rock Labs. The cofounder of this London-based tech startup, Pierre Paslier, says, "You're not expected to eat the peel of your orange or banana. We are trying to follow the example set by nature for our packaging."

Animal Safe Six-Ring Packs

We all know about the threat that plastic six-pack rings pose for animals.  Rather than doing away with a six-pack design, Saltwater Brewery and We Believers have joined up to create edible rings. These rings are made of the barley and wheat that don't get used during the beer brewing process. They take shape while baking in the oven. The rings can either be eaten or left to decompose. And if you are wondering how they hold up compared to plastic rings, don’t worry. They work even better than plastic!

Eco-Fiendly Bag

Plastic bags often end up in the ocean and disrupt the underwater ecosystem.  Kevin Kumala, the founder of AVANI Eco, responded to this problem by creating a new type of bag using cassava roots and natural starches. These eco-friendly bags are much better than any plastic options you will find.  They are biodegradable and safe for animals to eat, making them the perfect solution that allows us, humans, to keep using bags without threatening the planet or wildlife. And cassava bags aren’t only for shopping. The company also offers garbage bags to line your trash bin. 

Adidas Recycled Shoes

Adidas partnered with Parley for the Oceans to bring these recycled polyester shoes. With more than 40% of Adidas’s apparel coming from polyester plastic, their goal is to replace all of their virgin polyesters with recycled polyester by 2024. This partnership has prevented over 2800 tons of plastic from reaching the ocean.

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