Could these spheres of water replace plastic for good?
From bags and boxes to bottles and buckets, plastics are used in almost every aspect of daily life, yet if it’s not properly recycled this material can endanger our environment. Scientists have estimated that before we reach the year 2050, the amount of plastic in the ocean will outweigh the fish living in it. We have banned microbeads, charged for plastic bags and encouraged everyone to recycle, but we are still producing huge amounts of plastic rubbish.
One company in the UK wants to tackle the problem head on by replacing water bottles with a natural, biodegradable alternative. The edible blobs, called Ooho!, are produced by Skipping Rocks Lab and hold liquid within a double membrane in a similar way in which an egg yolk keeps its spherical shape. The design is a smooth, clear container for liquids. They are formed from alginate, a molecule extracted from seaweed that has the special ability to turn water into gel in the presence of charged atoms like calcium.
To drink from them, you simply bite into the sphere and drink the liquid from inside. When you are finished with your refreshment the seaweed container can be eaten or discarded and will decompose in just a few weeks. They are available in different flavours, including orange, elderflower and blackcurrant. Keep your eye out for these innovative bubble-bottles around festivals and sporting events for on-the-go hydration.
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In the UK 38.5 million plastic bottles are used every day, of which 15 million are not recycled and 700,000 are littered. Yet, though it may feel like we rely on this human-made substance, we can live without plastic, we just need to research and consider the alternatives. You could invest in a reusable bottle for your water or perhaps buy a Soda Stream to make your fizzy drinks rather than buying them contained within single-use plastic.
The rise of cardboard-based water packaging and public drinking taps means that one day we will be able to shift to a completely plastic-free lifestyle. Until then, why not try purchasing things in alternative packaging. For example, you can buy shampoo, creams, conditioners and other liquid products in soap-like bars.
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MAKE YOUR OWN EDIBLE WATER BOTTLES
1. Dissolve one gram of sodium alginate into one cup (approximately 230–240 millilitres) of drinking water and use a whisk to blend them together thoroughly. Once fully dissolved, with no lumps, let the mixture sit for 15 minutes or until there are no more air bubbles left.
2. Dissolve five grams of calcium lactate into four cups (approximately 920–960 millilitres) of water in a different bowl and whisk until it is completely dissolved.
3. Scoop some of the sodium alginate solution into a ladle or a large spoon and gently place it into the bowl of dissolved calcium lactate. A sphere will start to form instantly. Repeat the process to create more spheres sitting in the bowl, making sure each is fully covered in solution.
4. Gently stir the solution – being careful not to pop any of the spheres – for several minutes until they have completely formed into ball shapes.
5. Take a slotted spoon and remove the water balls from the bowl before placing them into a new bowl of fresh water to stop the chemical reaction.
In "How It Works", UK, issue 110, 2018. Digitized, adapted and illustrated to be posted by Leopoldo Costa