
Edible water bottles were handed out to runners at the London Marathon this weekend to reduce the huge amount of plastic waste created by the event.
At the conclusion of the London Marathon, the streets are usually littered with plastic bottles. Runners and spectators spend hours on the streets and need to remain sufficiently hydrated.
From the world’s top athletes to runners dressed head to toe in animal costumes – runners are often seen throwing thousands of bottles on the floor as they complete the gruelling 26.2 mile challenge.
But revolutionary technology from startup Skipping Rocks Lab has provided an ingenious solution to the problem.
The company has created edible pods of water called Ooho! The capsules can be filled with a wide range of liquids, and even the casing can be eaten.
But for anyone new to the technology or those who aren’t a fan of the thin seaweed membrane, the pods can be dropped on the floor and will biodegrade within six weeks.
This year’s London marathon saw thousands of bottles replaced with the capsules as runners soaked up some much needed fluid.

Image: Skipping Rocks Lab
The packets can also be used for juices in supermarkets or filled with sauces in takeaway food, and are even seen at festivals containing cocktails.
Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez and Pierre Paslier confounded the company in 2013 while studying Innovation Design Engineering at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art.
Gonzalez told CNN: “The marathon is a milestone … we are hoping we will demonstrate that it can be used at scale in the future.”
The company features a combination of designers, chemists, engineers and entrepreneurs.
Marathon
The London Marathon was won by Eliud Kipchoge, who ran the second fastest marathon time in history, beaten only by his own personal record from the Berlin Marathon.
And one runner broke the Guinness World Record for running the marathon in a full animal costume.
Kate Carter wore a full panda outfit to raise money for the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) in a time of just 3:48:32 – beating the record by 25 minutes.
What do you think of the new technology? Tell us in the comments section below!
Lifestyle
Vegan culture, food, beauty & more
Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
Tobey Maguire often speaks about veganism and animal issues. Tobey Maguire, the actor best known for playing Spider-Man in the Sam Raimi trilogy, is a vegan. He has been a vegetarian since 1992 and became a vegan in 2009. A lifelong commitment to animal rights Maguire’s decision to go vegan was motivated by his love …
Continue reading “Is Tobey Maguire vegan? Here’s what we know”
Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months
- Mohsina Dodhiya
- 17th August 2023
The number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based industry increased by almost a third from April to July 2023, GlobalData reported. The plant-based food industry is booming, and this is reflected in the number of job openings in the sector. According to data from GlobalData, the number of open jobs advertised in the plant-based …
Continue reading “Plant-based food jobs surge with 32% growth in just 3 months”
VEGAN MEMES
NEED A LAUGH?
QUIZZES
All the quizzes you love to binge!
QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert
- Marlon Farrugia
- 10th January 2020
How much vegan knowledge do you have stored away? Do you have to Google your way through a shopping trip, or do you have all the bad E-numbers memorised? Find out now with this quiz. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …
Continue reading “QUIZ: If you score 11/12 on this quiz, you’re a verified vegan food expert”
QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 13th October 2019
Spook Season approaches. There will be ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and glucose. You need a costume, and you want to it to show off your personality, which means VEGAN. But what to choose? Take our quiz to find out your perfect outfit. Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a …
Continue reading “QUIZ: What is your perfect Vegan Halloween Costume?”
QUIZ: What kind of vegetable are you?
- Marlon Farrugia
- 26th September 2019
“If you were a vegetable, what kind would you be?” A question that has tormented humanity throughout the ages – until now. Read: QUIZ: If you score 19/20 on THIS quiz, you’re a Vegan God Marlon Farrugia Marlon Farrugia is a freelance writer from Brighton. He has been a dedicated vegan for many years, and …