Eco-Friendly Sipping: The Rise of Cardboard Can Holders over Plastic Rings

Remember the plastic rings of death? Those plastic rings that hold cans of beer or pop? And that never ever decompose? And that are a danger to wildlife? Yes, those...

Well... my favourite local beer has switched to a cardboard carrier! How cool is that?

Call me weird, but I think it's pretty cool. When I got home, I took pics because these are the first ones I've gotten my hands on.

They are certainly better than the plastic rings... at least for wildlife and the environment. Now, this particular beer company wasn't actually using plastic rings to start with. Or maybe they were, years ago, but by the time I found them last year, they were packaging their 6 packs in little cardboard boxes.

Which is pretty good but... uses way more cardboard than the 6-pack ring replacement cardboard holder. 

Now if we could only get the BIG producers to follow suit. Looking at you Labatt's... and Coke... and Pepsi.

Still see tonnes of plastic ring holders in the grocery store aisles. But maybe... just maybe... the smaller producers can lead the way and show the big guys how it's done.

Small steps... they do make a difference.

Six Alternatives to the Six Pack Rings of Death

Peanut, a turtle in Missouri, who was rescued
from a 6 pack ring of death in 1993.

In five years time, I hope that young children will never meet a plastic 6-pack ring. I hope that those rings of death will be relegated to the past, never to appear again.

That might be a forlorn hope. There are already millions of 6-pack rings floating around in the oceans and waterways of our beautiful planet. But... new ones are on their way out. Soon enough plastic 6 pack rings will be a thing of the past.