We can visually represent the energy embodied in a water bottle by filling one quarter of the bottle with oil. This is because it can take 250mL of oil to produce 1L of bottled water.
Feasibility of using Silicone
What is Silicone?
Silicone is a synthetic rubber that contains bonded silicon and oxygen. It’s a natural element that is abundant in sand and rock.
The composition of silicone is largely mineral-based and rich in silicon dioxide (found in quartz beach sand). Unlike products made from plastic, silicone comes from a natural, un-fossilized source and is therefore more environmentally friendly. Silicone is known for its heat-resistant and rubber-like qualities and is safe for the oven and freezer. It is touted as being stable or inert, not changing the flavour or releasing odours that might affect food quality.
Silicones are used in the medical, automobile, electric and electronic industries. Their manufacturing process is relatively simple, and their uses are manifold. This makes silicone ideal for kitchen utensils, especially bakeware that is exposed to high temperatures.
Silicone is not toxic to aquatic or soil organisms, it is not hazardous waste, and while it is not biodegradable, it can be recycled after a lifetime of use.”
Silicones main advantages include the following: 
- ✔ Rigid, easy-to-grasp handles in bakeware & steamers
- ✔ Microwave and oven safe to 220°
- ✔ Withstands very low temperatures in the freezer (-40°)
- ✔ Freezer safe
- ✔ Non-stick
- ✔ Stain-resistant surface
- ✔ Quick, easy removal
- ✔ Durable and long lasting
- ✔ Flexibility makes for easy storage
- ✔ Resistant to boiling water and aggressive detergents
- ✔ Non-toxic
- ✔ Easy to clean, dishwasher safe
Aesthetics
In a recently completed online survey, where i received over 60 responses, i added a question box asking the user what features in the drink bottle would persuade them to continue to use the drink bottle well after the the festival itself was over.
A very common response surrounded the graphics and visual aesthetics on the exterior of the bottle. To achieve this, the bottle would include the festivals annual logo, the line up of artist, and perhaps a small info graphic reminding the holder of the bottle the devastating impact that plastic bottles are having on our environment, as added incentive to continue using the bottle.
Silicone Sustainability
One option i have been looking into is using a silicon rubber to construct the drink bottle instead of a plastic. The exciting properties of this material is tht it is microvae safe, fire resistant (can can boil and sterilise water over an open flame) and its longevity.
I have undertaken research into the extraction, use and disposale of these products to determine the feasibility of this material.
Silicone rubber is an elastomer (rubber-like material) composed of silicone—itself a polymer—containing silicon together with carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Silicone rubbers are widely used in industry, and there are multiple formulations. Silicone rubbers are often one- or two-part polymers, and may contain fillers to improve properties or reduce cost. Silicone rubber is generally non-reactive, stable, and resistant to extreme environments and temperatures from -55 °C to +300 °C while still maintaining its useful properties. Due to these properties and its ease of manufacturing and shaping, silicone rubber can be found in a wide variety of products, including: automotive applications; cooking, baking,and food storage products; apparel such as undergarments, sportswear, and footwear; electronics; medical devices and implants; and in home repair and hardware with products such as silicone sealants.
Silicone rubber offers good resistance to extreme temperatures, being able to operate normally from -100 °C to +300 °C. Some properties such as elongation, creep, cyclic flexing, tear strength, compression set, dielectric strength(at high voltage), thermal conductivity, fire resistance and in some cases tensile strength can be—at extreme temperatures—far superior to organic rubbers in general, although a few of these properties are still lower than for some specialty materials. Silicone rubber is a material of choice in industry when retention of initial shape and mechanical strength are desired under heavy thermal stress or sub-zero temperatures. Organic rubber has a carbon-to-carbon backbone which can leave it susceptible to ozone, UV, heat and other ageing factors that silicone rubber can withstand well. This makes silicone rubber one of the elastomers of choice in many extreme environments
Recently, silicone rubber formed the matrix of the first autonomic self-healing elastomer.[5] The microcapsule-based material was capable of recovering almost all of the original tear strength. Additionally, this material had improved fatigue properties as evaluated using a torsion-fatigue test.
Commissioned by the Global Silicones Council, a recent study looks at the greenhouse-gas emissions linked to the entire life cycle of silicone, siloxane and silane products. Using silicones, siloxanes and silane products generates greenhouse-gas emission reductions that outweigh the impacts of production and end-of-life disposal by a factor of 9. In other words, for every ton of C02 emitted, the use of silicones allows for savings 9 times greater.
Basically, the addition of silicon to other products greatly improved the mechanical properties of the material, allowing it to last longer, thus greatly reducing its environmental impact.
(http://siliconescarbonbalance.com/pdf/SIL_nutshell_en.pdfA
As far as a cradle to grave analysis, i have seperated the life of the product into 6 catergories:
1. Raw Material, GOOD
Making silicone starts with silica (silicon and oxygen in the form of sand). According to the U.S. Geological Survey, silica resources for most uses are abundant, so the major environmental impacts are derived from mining silica. But silicone rubber uses only a tiny fraction of the silica that is mined each year, so it shares only a small amount of the responsibility for those impacts which the USGS calls “limited” anyway.
2. Other Ingredients and By Products, INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION
To create silicone rubber (a synthetic elastomer), silica undergoes a chemical process to create silicone then other elements are added to give the silicone specific qualities. The chemical process and ingredient list is proprietary, so it could be years before we know everything that’s in silicone rubber and its environmental impacts, including manufacturing byproducts.
3. Safety, GOOD (as far as we know)
All silicone cookware sold in the U.S. is made of food grade silicone, meaning the FDA has deemed it safe for its intended use. That will be good enough for most people, but just remember, it was only recently that we learned that some food grade plastics were leaching the chemical bisphenol A (BPA)into food and beverages–putting us at risk for a number of health problems.
A hint that BPA–containing plastics weren’t exactly infallible was the distinct plastic smell and taste the plastic could give food or water that came in contact with it. Silicone rubber seems to pass the smell and taste test, andDow Corning (who has been making silicones since the 1940s) assures its customers through their website, that their silicone rubber is stable at high and low temperatures and will not impart any flavor or odor that would affect the quality of the food.
Time may reveal more facts about what’s in silicone cookware and how it stands up to long term use, but for now, there are few reported problems with the material.
4. Clean up, EXCELLENT
Silicone ruibber is easy to clean, and won’t require harsh, damaging solvents that can pollute the air or water.
5. Longevity/Reuse, GOOD
A distinct advantage of silicone cookware is its durability and what Dow Corning calls its “resistance to aging.” Longevity is only an eco-asset, however, if one is committed to hanging on to their silicone wares for the duration, and won’t replace it with something new while it still has many useful years left. If replacement ever becomes desired, make sure silicone items get passed on, not thrown out.
Silicone kitchen products are especially earth-friendly when they can replace disposables. The Progressive International Silicone Suction Lid
6. End of Life Solutions: BAD
You might be able to find a facility that recycles silicone rubber, but they are not at all common. And they may only accept commercial loads of a minimum weight or quantity. It is considerably more difficult to recycle a silicone bread pan than one made from aluminum or Pyrex glass. And if worn out silicone rubber ends up in the landfill, it will not biodegrade
One solution for End life is send the product to a specilist recycling company who grind the product up and uses it in a new silicon rubber product such as this one:
Design For Re-Use
After the first commercial application, the box can be turned on itself and thus be reused, by Sabrina Digregorio studio H-57 via Packaging UQAM
Tresdon, made of the design firm Icon Packaging. A wine package that transforms from in-store display to carry home packaging to reusable wine rack. In most cases today, wine is shipped in boxes with loads of styrofoam pellets as protection for the bottles. Whereas this package is useful for distribution and also from a consumer’s perspective.
A store which makes it easier for the consumer to do the right thing and reduce packaging material. The concept is simple: bring your own containers and fill them with the products you’d like. Unpackaged is the store in London questioning disposable consumer packaging. Reason: cost, waste and pollution
The Future of Food Packaging
http://imgur.com/gallery/Quapg
Milk goes sour only after a week, so is it good that it takes the milk carton years to decompose naturally? The idea behind this packaging is to have the container to have the same shelf life as the product inside.
Oil Packaging
The oil package is made of caramelized sugar, coated with wax. To open it you crack it like an egg. When the material is cracked the wax do no longer protect the sugar and the package melts when it comes in contact with water. This package is made for oil-based food.
Smoothie Packaging
The smoothie packet is made out of gel of the agar agar seaweed and water are the only components used to make this package. To open it you pick the top. The package will wither at the same speed as its content. It is made for drinks that have a short life span and needs to be refrigerated, fresh juice, smoothies and cream for example.
Rice Packaging
The rice package is made of a biodegradable beeswax. To open it you peel it like a fruit. The package is designed to contain dry goods, for example grains and rice.
For some more great packing concepts (and for the sauce), visit their website. http://www.tomorrowmachine.se/
Key Thinking
When it comes to designing a new packaging that consumers will use, i have brainstormed to come up with what i believe a packaging solution needs to be able to be implemented.
These Include:
Protection / Safety / Health
Improved functionality
More innovation / Greater modernity
Visual Appeal / Textual Appeal
Convenience
Quality / Appearance
Legible Information
Environmentally friendly
Design For Sustainability 