We’ve all seen the documentaries and the TV specials about it. There are thousands of images of sea turtles getting trapped in all of the trash that we throw into the ocean, particularly in the plastic rings that are used to hold six-packs of beers. However, one brewery is providing a sustainable way to save the turtles while also letting you hold your six-pack together with ease.
Saltwater Brewery, a craft microbrewery based in Florida, has started selling a form of edible six-pack ring container that is made out of completely organic materials. Therefore, if these end up being discarded on the ocean, they can either be eaten by sea turtles or simply decompose, as they are biodegradable. Just in case these they end up in landfills, they are also capable of decomposing on land as well.
These rings were developed by a startup called E6PR, which stands for Eco Six Pack Ring. They are made of by-product waste, wheat, barley, and other compostable materials. Therefore, they will not harm whichever ecosystem they end up getting placed.
The company says that producing the product initially was quite expensive, so they will start distribution with a limited number of breweries. However, once they are able to increase production, they hope more breweries will use the product for their own beers.
One of the most famous examples of a turtle stuck in a plastic ring was Peanut, a red-eared slider found wandering around Missouri. After getting stuck in a ring, her growth was stunted and her shell became deformed, which is why she is shaped like a ‘peanut.’ Eventually, she was set free and she has since become a symbol for marine protection.
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