Engineering can end up in the most bizarre of places.

Often times it is the things that get overlooked the most that host some of the most impressive engineering. Although this innovative box is not part of the most spectacular feats of engineering, it still contains a lot of great innovation in the most peculiar place.

Pizza boxes. Often mono purposed, and of singular use. Only used to hold that steaming, glorious pizza for a few moments until it is tossed to the curb- forgotten, lost. GreenBox decided to give the traditional pizza box a second chance and successfully developed a multi-purpose, remarkably efficient box.

The box was designed with functionality in mind, able to be used as plates when guests arrive- saving the paper plates for another day. The box can also be reconfigured into a compact storage container so you can devour your pizza another day.

The idea of the GreenBox came from William Walsh after he had the brilliant idea to use the top of the pizza box as a plate to save him some dishes in college. At the time, Walsh was studying to become a mechanical engineer.

“I went to a local restaurant, I bought 50 or 100 pizza boxes — the guy thought I was out of my mind — and an Exacto knife, and a straightedge ruler,”

Walsh said back in 2011.

“I spent 3 or 4 days in my apartment creating different options like, different alternatives how I could utilise this base material to do something else... I came up with 4 or 5 different designs, and I took the best function from each design and came up with this current design.”

Unfortunately Walsh passed away later that year.

However, Walsh was able to leave behind the world’s most efficient pizza box. To ensure sustainability, naturally, the box is made from 100% recycled material. Innovation lurks behind every corner. Doing something the same way just because it has always been done like that is a great time to ask, what could make it better? Walsh was able to take something so simple and still useful and turn it into something that can help reduce pollution- one pizza box at a time.

Source:  Interesting Engineering - View a Greenbox video here