Things Go Greener With A New Biodegradable Pepsi Bottle

Things may go better with Coke, but it seems they go greener with Pepsi.   Pepsico,the billion dollar international food and beverage corporation, announced last week that it has developed the world’s first totally plant based, petroleum- free, totally bio-degradable plastic bottle.  Petroleum free is a big deal given the amount of oil that goes into making plastic bottles and the recent upsurge in oil prices.

Given the impact of  plastic bottles on the environment, especially the world’s oceans and marine life, this a not inconsiderable achievement.  And given the enormity of Pepsico’s business, and the number of plastic bottles it manufactures every year, this is a win/win for the consumer, the producer, and the planet.

Millions of  ordinary plastic bottles languish in landfills around the world, giving off toxins and littering the landscape, while millions more travel the ocean highway to the great Pacific garbage patch, where they do incalculable harm to fish and wildlife.

According to Pepsi,  the new ” green” bottle, which goes into production next year and will be  made from switch grass, pine bark and corn husks. These materials are bi- products of the company’s  food business. Talk about re-purposing and making an impact…… Pepsico  not only makes Pepsi and Mountain Dew, but also produces 19 different food and beverage product lines.  Companies they own include such household names as Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, and  Frito-Lay.  A corporation of this size, making a change of this magnitude will make a real difference in the environment for us and for generations of people and animals to come.

.Peachygreen kudos are in order here.  We bloggers are often quick to point out the negative impact of big corporations and to forget  positive things big companies can do.  We are quick to point out the damage caused by the BP Oil spill, but not so quick to  talk about the billions of dollars BP is spending to do what they can to clean up the mess.

We think it is important to point out the good deeds of corporations with a conscience.  Congratulations on your achievement Pepsico.