An Icelandic student has discovered a novel use for algae: as the base for biodegradable bottles. The bottles consist of algae and water: they are combined, heated, poured into a mold and cooled quickly. When the bottle is emptied, it rots in about a week and could sustainably decompose in soil over time.
The genesis of the project was in fact a homework assignment. Icelandic student Ari Jonsson unveiled the bottle at the DesignMarch 2016 festival in Reykyavik and has been perfecting the design since.
This invention is especially notable in light of what it would replace: plastic. Plastic takes over a thousand years to biodegrade and is a large contributor to waste across the globe. Albeit still in its infancy (it doesn’t yet have a way to cap it), Jonsson’s bottle could help people re-envision portable water. In other words, algae strikes again.
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