Humanity has achieved all kinds of great things in the time that we’ve been on this planet. Mass communication, space exploration, quantum computing, and, of course, the invention by which all other innovation is measured – sliced bread. We’ve done a lot of great things, but, sadly, we’ve accomplished a lot of them at the cost of the planet we live on. There’s really no denying it – humanity’s reign over the Earth has been pretty disastrous for Mother Nature.
Well, better late than never, I suppose. Green businesses have become kind of a big deal lately, and it’s a trend I couldn’t possibly be happier about. Even if the costs are sometimes marginally higher, it’s worth it if you know that you’re helping make the world a little bit more liveable for all creatures, not just us.
Recently, Saltwater Brewery from Delray Beach, Florida decided to create a unique “green” product that’s quickly taken the internet by storm. They’ve switched out the standard plastic six-pack rings used to package their beers for something much, much cooler. Read on to find out more.
Americans drink nearly 6.3 billion gallons of beer annually, half of it in cans. These beer cans, along with other canned beverages, are often packaged with plastic six-pack rings.
While we humans are great at drinking all those six-packs, we’re really not great at cleaning up after ourselves when we’re done.
As a result, these rings end up finding their way into the ocean.
In an ideal world, when you Google “animals” and “six pack,” this is the kind of thing that should pop up.
Sadly, the reality tends to look more like this.
Surely, this has got to put a damper on any good times that were had while consuming that six-pack.
These six-pack rings can cause serious health problems for animals. Even if they’re broken up, animals could still end up eating the plastic, which is highly toxic for them.
The people at Saltwater Brewery in Florida, being men of the sea themselves, wanted to do something about this issue. That’s why they created six-pack rings that are not only biodegradable …
… but also 100% edible!
The rings are made of a mixture of barley and wheat byproducts from the brewing process. You could even eat them yourself if you were hungry enough (but we wouldn’t recommend it).
The only downside is they cost slightly more to make than the plastic versions right now. But, if the trend catches on (particularly with larger companies), the costs would come down to be roughly equal. Your move, Budweiser.
Be sure to SHARE this innovative idea with your family and friends.
H/T: Bored Panda | We Believers
Source: http://allofbeer.com/brewery-invents-edible-six-pack-rings-that-feed-ocean-life/
All of Beer 