Monday, June 01, 2009

GOOD PACK, BAD PACK - Damp squib?


Maybe more a sense of disappointment.

Interested as I am in reuse, and more specifically how things can be joined together in ways unheard of to make new stuff, I was attracted by an offer in my local Argos.

That it was for a water pistol, and the temp was heading for 25 degrees did not hurt. I still claimed it was 'for the kids' mind.

What appealed was that the majority of the plastic in such jobbies has, until now, been shipped all the way from China as part of the structure, namely the water reservoir, with all packaging enhanced to accommodate.

With this, however, the crafty part is to make the reservoir out of old pop bottles. Neat or what? And on so many levels.

Having got it I can testify that it is every bit as clever as made out, and my... er kids... reckon it's a top summer squirter.

But why, oh, why, was it necessary to come, to full length with card backing and plastic wrapping, with a custom bottle attached? Especially one whose plastic is so thick, it can't crumple (lack of pressure release vale being a design fault).

I'd have given it 5 J-stars, but this drops it to a 4.