Avani, a social enterprise based in Bali, chose to address plastic pollution through better design, rather than waiting for a behavioral shift in consumers. Avani has come up with a line of fully biodegradable food products, including takeaway containers, cutlery, straws, and coffee cups, as well as grocery bags and rain ponchos. Avani’s products are made from cassava root starch and other natural resins, using no petroleum products. They biodegrade fully within 3 to 6 months, depending on soil conditions, converting naturally into carbon dioxide and biomass, with no toxic residue. This process can be hurried by dissolving in hot water, softening in cold water, and burning to leave a small amount of ash. The bags are safe for insects and animals to eat, both terrestrial and marine, and apparently they’re tasty, too. Avani bags ‘disappear’ with the help of macro- and micro-organisms under natural conditions and can go to landfills directly.