A Florida brewery has come up with a new way to help save marine life by creating biodegradable six-pack rings for beer.
Saltwater Brewery in Delray Beach, Florida, has joined forces with New York advertising agency We Believers to launch the first "Edible Six-Pack Rings."
"Together with Saltwater Brewery, a small craft beer brand in Florida whose primary target are surfers, fishermen and people who love the sea, we decided to tackle the issue head on and make a statement for the whole beer industry to follow," said Marco Vega, co-founder and chief strategist of We Believers.
The new rings are from by-products of the beer making process. It does not trap and kill the animals but instead feeds them if the product ends up in the sea.
Researchers have found that about 90 percent of seabirds have consumed plastic and some of it will likely remain in their stomach, according to a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Apart from being 100 percent biodegradable and edible for fish and other marine life, the eco-friendly technology is as efficient and resistant as plastic packaging.
"For brands to be successful today, it is no longer about being the best in the world-but rather, being the best for the world and taking a real stance," creative chief officer Gustavo Lauria added.
While the six-pack rings are more expensive to make, Saltwater Brewery says it's worth every penny to help the environment and wildlife.
"It's a big investment for a small brewery created by fisherman, surfers and people that love the sea," Saltwater Brewery head of brand, Peter Agardy, said in the video below.
However, company president Chris Goves hopes to "influence the big guys," and "inspire them to get on board."
Saltwater Brewery says that if more breweries follow this environmentally-friendly trend, prices may drop.
Other more sustainable, alternative packaging includes PakTech, a hard plastic cover that can be attached to the top of a six-pack of cans that allows them to be stacked and handled more easily.
