If it is, then the future without waste is looking pretty cool...
We all know food waste is a massive global issue, one which many retailers and individuals alike have been trying to conquer lately.
We have heard stories about grocers selling imperfect produce, to restaurants charging customers who waste food, and we know from our own research that the 1 Million Women community takes combatting food waste very seriously from managing how much they buy and cook to using up leftovers.
However, a huge part of waste when it comes to food is the packaging, which more often than not is made from plastic. Think about how many items you eat in a day that require a package, and if your packing school lunches then that number is likely to be quite high!
Luckily, the Swedish design studio, Tomorrow Machine , has created an awesome solution to this food packaging waste problem – biodegradable food packaging . They launched the project in 2012 called "This Too Shall Pass" featuring biodegradable food packaging, some of which doubles as a vessel to cook and serve the food in as well.
Let's check out some of the features waste-free packaging has to offer...
The bowl is made of 100 percent bio-based material. When hot water is added to the package, it activates a mechano-active ingredient in the bowl and it expands into a serving dish…
Just like this...cool, right?
Tomorrow Machine are in the early stages of developing new packaging that isn’t used as a serving dish, but is made out of natural materials that are easily compostable or can dissolve in water, like this juice box...
They are derived from agar and water. Agar is an algae-based substance that is a bit like gelatin. As you drink the contents of the box, it begins to shrink down to a small size. The box takes about a month to break down completely.
Waste-free packaging for dry goods like pasta and rice are also in the making...
They are made from treated beeswax. The wax is paper thin and can be torn off just like an orange peel.
Tomorrow Machine has even developed an environmentally-friendly container for oils...
This pod is made of caramelized sugar that will crack just like an egg shell. Once it is empty, the shell can be dissolved in water!
Keep up with Tomorrow Machine’s progress via their website or Facebook .