Edible Water?!

Have you ever wondered if you can chew your water? The thought is upsetting, but hear me out.

Continuing on with the theme of conservation, this post is about a new way to reduce plastic waste and our carbon footprint. In 2016, there were over 480 billion plastic bottles used globally, and around 8 million tons of plastic are found in the ocean each year. Keep in mind that this is only concerning bottles, but there are plenty of other plastic goods we use like bags, cutlery, and containers. Plastic is often made by using oil and natural gasses as sources of energy, so one could only imagine how much pollution is produced from this. But since the late 2010s, there’s been a scientific investigation into the process for making jelly-like water.

Essentially, brown algae is manipulated so that it becomes a gel. Then water is inserted into the gel and it becomes a small ball, ready for consumption. This is a very innovative solution, but how successful is it at reducing plastic use?

So far, these water bottles are still mainly in production and modification. The gelatinous layer surrounding the water is not strong and bursts easily. There’s also an issue of making enough to put a dent into how much plastic we use and getting people to switch over. But while they aren’t out for the public yet, you can attempt to make your own if you want a neat experiment. Hopefully, though, this is a step in the right direction for us.