Entertainment

'Shark Tank's GreenBox Can Make Pizza Even Better

by Laura Rosenfeld

Once in a while, a product appears on Shark Tank that is truly a game changer. On this week's episode of Shark Tank, GreenBox is that product. If you use the GreenBox, you will not only enjoy a better pizza-eating experience, but also help the environment at the same time.

OK, we can all just pack up and go home after that statement. Seriously. Do you really need me to say anything more about GreenBox? I repeat, you'll help save the world with this product... and PIZZA.

But now that I've got you here, I might as well tell you a little bit more about GreenBox. While most pizza boxes are made out of 70 percent virgin wood, this one is made out of 100 percent recycled material. But wait, there's more. The GreenBox can be transformed from just a regular old square cardboard pizza box to be even more eco-friendly.

The sharks might not be as easily impressed by a product that will revolutionize the way we eat pizza like normal people are, but once they see GreenBox in action, I expect them to bite. Plus, the product already has its very own patent, which is sure to impress the Queen of Patents, Lori Greiner, and Kevin "Proprietary or Bust" O'Leary.

Here's how you can order up a pie in a GreenBox, plus four other reasons why this product deserves your attention — and appetite.

1. The GreenBox Is The Transformer Of Pizza Boxes

Remember when I said there are many reasons why GreenBox is great for the environment? Well, in addition to the materials it's made out of, it also has many uses besides just being a container to help your pizza get from the restaurant to your mouth. The top of the GreenBox can be torn along two perforations to create four serving plates. Then, the bottom of the box can be folded to make a much smaller container for your leftovers. This makes it easier to store and later recycle the box. It also cuts down on wasteful storage materials for your extra slices, like aluminum foil, plastic wrap, and plastic bags. The company's president Jennifer Wright-Laracy even told The Huffington Post that the box can fit in your backpack or purse. It seems like they'd still have to be kind of big bags, but PIZZA.

2. Pizza Obviously Inspired This Invention

Next to love and the wonders of nature, I'm pretty sure pizza is one of the most common sources of inspiration for people. Of course, pizza was the muse of GreenBox's inventor William Walsh. He traced the inspiration for the GreenBox back to his college days when he and his buds would chow down on a few slices without using any plates, as one does in college. One day, he tore up the pizza box and handed out the pieces for his housemates to use as impromptu plates. He did the same thing about a decade later at a birthday party for a friend's daughter. Walsh eventually met Wright-Laracy and Ned Kesing, and the three of them got to work to make GreenBox a reality.

3. Here's Where You Can Order Up A GreenBox

Because pizza boxes are really only used to store pizza pies on their journey from pizzerias to people, you can only get the GreenBox through participating restaurants that use it to serve pizza. Participating retailers vary by state, and some Whole Foods locations also carry the box. GreenBox has yet to partner with major nationwide pizza chains like Pizza Hut, Domino's, or Papa John's, but The Los Angeles Times reported last September that the company was working with Pizza Hut in the Middle East to bring the boxes there.

4. Success Hasn't Come Without Tragedy

Walsh has unfortunately not been able to experience all of the success and attention that GreenBox has garnered over the years. The inventor died on Nov. 16, 2011 at his home in New York. "Will was a passionate innovator with creative spirit," reads a blog post tribute to Walsh on GreenBox's website. "His energy and enthusiasm were the driving force behind our growth."

5. Ashton Kutcher Helped GreenBox Get Off the Ground

In 2009, GreenBox was still a fledgling company, but that was all about to change thanks to Ashton Kutcher. Back when the actor was a major influencer on the still-new social network, he retweeted a link to a demo of the GreenBox in action, along with the word "smart." It might not seem like much, but that tweet helped GreenBox get noticed. However, it wasn't until 2014 when things really got crazy for the company. That video demo went viral, and it now has more than 5 million views on YouTube as of the time of this writing. It doesn't get any less amazing every time you watch it.

Now who's hungry?

Images: Michael Desmond/ABC; Giphy; sharktankgifs/Tumblr