Umbrellas occupy our lives in that short period of time when it rains between point a and point b. They bloom as the perfect fashion accessory in the right weather, but are soon left out like wet dogs. Perhaps a new umbrella could celebrate our brief desires. The entire umbrella could dissolve in an hour's hard rain thanks to a structure made of glucose and starch-based polymers. When the user is finished, they set the umbrella upside down revealing the untreated underside and forget about it.

Materials for manufacturing the umbrellas would come from local sources, allowing resources utilized from an ecosystem to return on a local level. Micro strands of starchy polymers provide the tensile strength needed while glucose particles suspend between providing the material with compressive strength. The glucose will dissolve, leaving tiny strands of starch to be carried away and quickly broken down by water. The Entire umbrella would be carried away to a storm drain where it would biodegrade in a matter of minutes. A wax or biodegradable oil could be used on the top of the umbrella to delay disintegration while in use.

Distribution would primarily be handled by a system of small vending machines conveniently located in public spaces. Consumers would no longer need to carry an "emergency umbrella," rather a few coins for the nearest vendor. Umbrellas could be sold in a variety of sizes, everything from the one-minute to the season-long model. Natural inks and dyes create colorful patterns on the canopies. Suddenly the umbrella becomes the fast paced voice of fashion, able to bring a new designs or advertisements to the streets every time it rains.

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