Much like the plastic straw, six-pack rings are often seen as enemies of the ocean. Though straws and six-pack rings account for only a tiny fraction of all the plastic trash in the ocean, images of hapless marine animals like sea turtles with plastic straws jammed into their noses or plastic six-pack rings encircling their bodies have sparked public backlash against the common items.

Now, some beer companies are trying to create new, innovative ways to hold their cans together without trapping marine animals in any resulting refuse.

Unlike plastic straws, however, viable alternatives aren't always readily available. When the straw was first commercially produced, it was made of paper, making the move away from plastic simply a