Plastic isn’t all that fantastic. From the 500 plus years it takes to break down, to the increasing presence of microplastics in the ocean, there are so many reasons why we should reduce our use of it. More households are now thinking about how they can find alternatives and use less plastic. One such alternative that has gained popularity is silicone. But there’s an ongoing debate on the benefits of silicone vs plastic. Is silicone more environmentally friendly than plastic? Is silicone plastic in a different form? And is silicone the answer to leading a more sustainable life?Silicone is derived from silicon, which is a naturally occurring element. Silicon dioxide, for example, can be found in sand and quartz.However, there is an important distinction between silicon and silicone - and the confusing thing about this product is that the description of it here on the Amazon product page is far from clear because it is described as both silicon AND silicone.Silicon is a naturally occurring element. Silicone is synthetic.Silicone is made by combining the element silicon with other elements, such as oxygen. Silicone comes in many different forms, such as silicone oil, rubber and resin. There’s much to learn about the chemical makeup of silicone and how it differs to silicon. It seems highly likely that this product is made of silicone, the synthetic material. One plus-point is that it is 'food grade', so it doesn’t contain any chemical fillers.Silicone is not biodegradable. Some argue that silicone’s lack of biodegradability can be alleviated through good recycling practices. But it can be exceptionally difficult to recycle silicone at local recycling centres. Until silicone is more widely accepted as a recyclable material, there’s a good chance that a lot of it is going into general waste. This means it’s contributing to growing landfill.We should stop and ask ourselves whether we need to buy a new product in the first place. Buying something made out of silicone to replace its plastic counterpart can be wasteful. Especially if you already have a usable plastic product that can do the same job.Should we be buying silicone items when there are other environmentally friendly materials available? Ones that are more widely recycled? You could do worse than silicone if you’re looking for sustainable alternatives to plastics. But it’s best used in conjunction with other eco-friendly materials and practices.Anyway, the product itself should last for many years so it could be argued that that in itself makes it environmentally friendly. I like the fact that the bowls are effectively held in place so that they can't be pushed or slid around by hungry pets. With the bowls made of stainless steel, this product could in theory last a lifetime.