The Only Home We've Ever Known
"There is perhaps no better demonstration of the folly of human conceits than this distant image of our tiny world. To me, it underscores our responsibility to deal more kindly with one another, and to preserve and cherish the pale blue dot, the only home we've ever known."
- Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot, 1994
THE CRISIS
Because of our plastic-driven consumer habits, our oceans will have more plastic than fish by 2050.
But the problem isn’t limited to the ocean – conventional plastic is made wholly from oil, and the extracting, refining, and use of oil contributes to greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating climate change.
Warmer temperatures destabilize our coral reef systems, which are the heart - and home - to most of our marine life. Everything from microscopic algae to apex predators rely on healthy reefs to sustain life.
But it’s actually much closer to us than we think.
Micro-plastics have recently been detected far from the trash gyres in the middle of the ocean – now they're on our plates and in our water.
A recent study found plastic in 88% of global tap water. And as for our dinner plates, freshwater and marine species affected by plastic pollution reaches into the hundreds of species, and we eat about half of those species.
In short, our plastic addiction comes at great cost - to all of us, and to the only home we've ever known.
Until now.
Solving the plastic problem
THE MATERIAL
Our material is made from a proprietary blend of compostable plastics derived from renewable feedstocks. This unique compostable material not only reduces the impact of traditional plastics on our environment, it also delivers the strength and heat resistance needed for functional parts.
And our favorite part? It’s compostable per ASTM D6400 standards. Selecting bio-based material obtained from renewable resources reduces the carbon footprint of the plastic itself. Some calculations show that this process can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% to 80% compared to petroleum-based counterparts (Cok et al., 2014).
Cok, B., Tsiropoulos, I., Roes, A. L., & Patel, M. K. (2014). Succinic acid production derived from carbohydrates: An energy and greenhouse gas assessment of a platform chemical toward a bio-based economy. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining, 8(1), 16-29.
THE SOLUTION
MADE WITH COMPOSTABLE PLASTIC
We use biopolymers, which means our plastics are made mostly from plants.
Our products are BPA-free, worry free, help reduce carbon emissions, keep plastics out of the ocean, and support a vision for a truly circular economy by designing waste out of the equation.
WE WANT TO MAKE IT BETTER
Beach toys are only the beginning!
We want to make better products using better material, and not just at the beach. Our material is available for anyone ready to replace conventional plastic with a better alternative.
Have a vision for a compostable product? Reach out to us today.
BREAKING IT DOWN
After a long and useful life, your Rogue Wave beach toys will compost back to the earth. You have options: if you live near a commercial compost facility that accepts bioplastics, you can dispose of it there. Find out where your closest compost site is here.
Don't have a compost site near you? Or your city doesn’t offer yard waste service? Our product will compost (just a little slower) in active landfills and in landfill-to-energy sites. Learn how you can advocate for yard waste and commercial compost sites near you here.
