Featured Image Credit: NOAA
By Sarah Sharkey
Sometimes, it may feel as if all humans do is harm the ocean. With all of the trash and plastics we put in the ocean, it can seem like we are destroying the deep blue beyond repair. BUT sometimes mankind does take steps in the right direction!
Here are a pair of innovations to be thankful for this year:
1) Edible Six-Pack Rings
The Saltwater Brewery of Delray Beach, FL has created an edible six-pack ring that could eliminate the need of plastic six-pack rings. The plastic rings are detrimental in more than one way: not only are they non-biodegradable, but also they can also get tangled up with sea creatures. The edible rings are 100% biodegradable. Using barley and wheat ribbons created by the brewing process to create the edible rings, the Saltwater Brewery has devised a win-win scenario.
2) Shoes made from Ocean Waste
Adidas teamed up with Parley for the Oceans in order to make shoes made of recycled material found in the ocean. The shoes recently hit the market and Adidas has big plans for these shoes: their ultimate goal is to eliminate virgin plastic from their supply chain. If they are successful on creating a successful model, this could be the beginning of pulling plastic out of the ocean in bulk.
These innovations are encouraging, because they indicate that people are actually starting to care about the ocean. I am confident that these plastic reducing advances are just the beginning of many more plastic-eliminating ideas.