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Bottleneck Saver

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This is so simple and ingenious! The Bottleneck Saver is a small rubber ring that attaches to the pumps of hand soap and lotion bottles. By restricting the amount of dispensed material, it helps reduce unnecessary waste. Multiple Bottleneck Savers can be used on a single pump to restrict consumption even further...

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As the designers note in their description, the company's that manufacture soaps and lotions have an incentive to encourage waste (by selling even more product).

The Bottleneck Saver is one of Orcadesign's projects for their Greenhouse Effect program that explores the nature of consumption and sustainability through product design. Via: NotCot.org and Core77

Tags

GREEN IDEAS, bathroom, kitchen, cleaning, concept, soap, Orca Design

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Comments (27)

Two simpler suggestions: One, don't push down all the way. Two, don't use these pump bottles, as there's always waste at the bottom of the bottle. Use tubed lotion and bar soap instead.

posted by visualingual on 2008-03-10 16:14:49
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visuallingual - Pump bottles are refillable, so if you reuse and refill, there will *never* be waste at the bottom of the bottle.

posted by aaron on 2008-03-10 16:24:32
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Brilliant!
Another piece of future-landfill to prevent us from using up too much future-landfill!

posted by bepsf on 2008-03-10 16:29:59
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I have to agree with what bepsf said.
I don't understand why people need items of convenience such as these when they could just restrict consumption on their own.

posted by twenty twenty-one on 2008-03-10 16:35:16
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Thank you!

posted by ChristineBadina on 2008-03-10 16:58:29
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This device is not for perfect people who can restrict their consumptions themselves. It is for those people's children and spouses.

posted by Jon_B on 2008-03-10 17:00:53
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That said, this is crying for a DIY version. Rubber washers?

posted by Jon_B on 2008-03-10 17:02:14
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This is a great idea for families with multiple children....encouraging cleanliness and teaching conservation and reducing consumption at a young age.

posted by purechris on 2008-03-10 17:06:30
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I have a good idea for a DIY version. I'm going to try it tonight and I'll post a picture tomorrow!

posted by aaron on 2008-03-10 17:07:45
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These are perfect for those of us who don't always function at peak consciousness, let alone eco-consciousness.

posted by Taureg on 2008-03-10 18:43:44
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Why not just wrap rubber bands or something around the top part of the pump thingie, so that when you push down, it stops halfway? Then you're really reusing something and not buying something new to stop over consuming.

posted by Marbargarbo on 2008-03-10 18:52:42
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Once again, the solution to over-consumption is not more consumption.

posted by a.meyer on 2008-03-10 19:05:31
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Sorry - punctuation bitch here.
company's should be companies

posted by ChzPlz on 2008-03-10 21:10:29
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How about not making it dark brown? When is the last time anyone has seen a dark brown plastic soap pump?

posted by themonkrat on 2008-03-10 23:33:10
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It's fun to imagine a person who stands under the Shower Up shower head [item above], with gallons of water gushing down over them, squeezing a pea-sized dot of shampoo out of one of these things into their palm.

As for policing one's spouse and kids with this thing: mine would have simply unscrewed the cap and poured out the contents from the naked bottle top.

Plus, it's ugly?

posted by Aulaire on 2008-03-11 07:09:37
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Are we all stupid or something? Are we physically handicapped with huge heavy hands that we can't control?

FFS people just push down less!!!

What a complete waste of time, money and effort.

Just another way for people to feel like they're saving the planet while they can still satisfy their urge to buy something.

posted by Violetsrose on 2008-03-11 08:50:15
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I'm with Aulaire on the ugliness. I'm sorry, but the particular flavor of crazy that I am would not allow me to have something well-meaning but visually offensive in my apartment unless I absolutely had to. If I was working kind of a coffee bean theme in my bathroom (probably NEVER will), I'd consider this. But it's going to have to at least be white, or preferably clear for me to ever be tempted.

posted by Curtis on 2008-03-11 09:30:42
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Several of my pumps don't allow for "softer" pushes. It's all or nothing with many of them. I think this is a swell idea, but I agree that it makes more sense to reuse something around the house instead of buying a new product.

I'm surprised by the level of anger this post has produced! It's a good idea with perhaps poor execution. Hopefully people will see this product and decide to make their own.

posted by Doogle on 2008-03-11 12:10:52
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Any pump can be pushed down part-way ... a light tap will do it, and that's how I get a few drops of soap out of my kitchen pump to wash my hands.

posted by Jane on 2008-03-11 12:18:36
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I use left over braces rubber bands...I like the pump system, but I usually make my own stuff and refill.

posted by Sonia on 2008-03-11 12:24:26
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Wow I can't believe how angry people are getting. Little things like this aren't the problem that's going to end the earth--there are more important issues to worry about. If this device helps some people consume less in the long run then great.

posted by mattster on 2008-03-11 13:20:36
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I'm with Marbargarbo. My first thought was "what's the matter with a rubber band?" They're even reusable.

posted by boliyou on 2008-03-11 13:42:36
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I like it (in white). Simple and easy. People are lazy, tired, preoccupied, spacey, and sometimes have real/legitimate problems that occupy their brains....making it more likely to slip out of eco-consciouness from time to time.

While I don't feel this rubber ring is the ONLY solution to the problem, I think it is ONE option.

posted by designerny on 2008-03-11 17:15:44
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Oh my god, people. Some perspective, please. It's not like Aaron's giving advice like "You know how I cut down on gas consumption in my Hummer? I only use the power windows on weekends!" Jeez.

posted by Doppelganger on 2008-03-11 18:44:24
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I find it surprising how many people are concerned about the color. I'm rather picky about little things, but geez. It is a good idea, and it seems like a decent product, just sort of a waste of money to buy when you can make something out of something you already have.

posted by Marbargarbo on 2008-03-11 23:43:57
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Sorry...I just can't get past the first comment. BAR SOAP? Gross!

posted by estydotca on 2008-03-12 00:44:19
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I agree with Jon_B!

"This device is not for perfect people who can restrict their consumptions themselves. It is for those people's children and spouses."

posted by NoleStyleandBeauty.net on 2008-03-14 09:00:01
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