In this era of plastic overflow, a group of innovative people are working hard to reduce plastic. In April 2023, Google launched the Single-Use Plastic Challenge. The winners will have the opportunity to enter Google’s cafes and microkitchens in the United States, attracting the participation of many food companies. 12 works finally stood out, and the "Environmental Information Center" selected several interesting cases to share with you.
1. Candies that solve the problem of leftover food and plastic
The global food waste problem is serious, and there are also manufacturers in the Single-use Plastic Challenge who are attracted by the charm of "ugly food". "UpWorthy" reported that the candy company Climate Candy was founded by Amy Keller. He was born in a candy family and created an environmentally friendly brand. He purchased imperfect-looking but high-quality agricultural products to make candies, and then used plant fibers to make environmentally friendly packaging bags. . Not only can leftover food be turned into delicious candies, but disposable plastic packaging can also be reduced.
2. Coffee cups become nutrients for the garden
GaeaStar, a start-up company, took inspiration from the Kulhars (unglazed pottery cups) used at Indian food stalls to develop decomposable clay cups. According to "Very Compostable", the materials for this cup are very simple, requiring only clay, salt and a small amount of water. Using 3D printing technology, each tea cup can be made in less than 30 seconds. After drinking it, you can just throw it in the garden and crush it under your feet.
3. Crisp and delicious edible tableware
Even the spoon was eaten? Startup company IncrEdible Eats has launched a new type of tableware that is not only edible, but comes in a variety of flavors. Weekly Sparks describes these edible spoons and forks as crunchy, sweet and salty. Made from wheat, oats, corn, chickpeas and brown rice, they are dairy-free and non-GMO. In addition to the original flavor, flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, oregano chili, and pepper are also available.
4. Agricultural waste becomes daily necessities
According to "Waste 360", the straws, cups, food mailing packages and fruit bags made by the Swedish company PlasticFri look like ordinary plastic products, but are made from agricultural waste, wild plants, non-edible plants and wood fiber of. Raw materials include discarded potatoes or corn, corn husks, wheat straw, sugar cane and rice straw. What makes PlasticFri special is that it uses agricultural waste and non-edible plants without affecting the food supply.
5. Maple water replaces mineral water
Extreme climates are common and water resources in the world will become increasingly scarce in the future. The start-up company Asarasi took a fancy to the by-product "maple water" in the maple sugar production process and sold it as maple sparkling water.
According to "Organic Soda Pops", as much as 1 billion gallons of pure maple water are filtered from maple trees each year when making maple syrup and maple products, enough to replace the existing bottled water market. The ingredients of maple sap include 97% pure water and the remaining 3% maple sugar. In the past, these pure water would be discarded directly. The founder of Asarasi felt it was a pity and thought why not make good use of this pure organic water derived from all plants, so each This flavored maple sparkling water was born.
In addition to the above cases, other winners also put a lot of effort into packaging. According to a report by "The Spoon", edible oil manufacturer Eco Refill Systems said goodbye to disposable plastic bottles and replaced them with reusable stainless steel containers to hold cooking oil. Homefree, a food manufacturer that specializes in gluten-free biscuits, uses 53% food-grade recycled material for its packaging paper. Even the energy used to print biscuit boxes comes from wind power.
References:
*The Spoon (November 22, 2023), Google Announces Winners of the Single-Use Plastics Challenge
*UpWorthy (May 4, 2023), Dum Dums founder's great-granddaughter turns imperfect fruits and veggies into refined 'climate candy'
*Very Compostable (April 19, 2023), GAEASTAR: Disposable Clay Cups
*Weeklysparks (November 26, 2021), incrEDIBLE Eats: Ditching Disposable Spoons
*Waste360 (October 12, 2021), A Look at Three Unique Alternatives to Single-Use Plastic Bags
*Organic Soda Pops, Asarasi Organic Sparkling Tree Water
*PR Newswire (November 21, 2023), Homefree is a winner of Google's Single Use Plastics Challenge
*Google (April 19, 2023), An open invitation to help reduce plastic waste
Source: Environmental Information Center
