Many businesses have started rethinking the materials they use while packaging their products. The days of heavy plastics and potentially hazardous materials are ending as businesses are favoring more eco-friendly "green" packaging methods. Consumers are also more conscious of their carbon footprints and want to make environmentally friendly changes with the products they buy. Businesses have taken notice by changing their ways and are making positive impacts with their customers and the environment. 

How Can I Make Greener Packaging?

Businesses have to see their current packaging procedures through a wide lens before taking action. Most packaging systems have many components that could be improved. Current packaging materials, energy efficiency, and waste management are some variables to consider when making eco-friendly production changes.

Recycling Materials

One of the most popular and easy packaging changes a business can make is by using recycled materials. Using paper, steel or aluminum based packaging greatly reduces waste. Since these materials can be repurposed for many needs, they may also cut down production and replenishing costs. When consumers buy these products, knowing the material used in the packaging also helps them easier sort their waste at home for recycling pick-ups. 

Minimizing & "Right Sizing" Materials

Another variable to take into account is how large the packaging container is compared to the size of the product inside. Although large packaging is more noticeable, it is more wasteful and costly. By using less material AND using recycled material, businesses can make two significant impacts on the environment as well as their profit margins.

Preventing Consumer Waste

By creating packaging that allows consumers to reuse it for different purposes, there is less waste after its initial use and multi-purpose recycled packaging will attract consumers. Environmentally conscious people prefer not to dispose items after one use. By creating packaging that lets consumers keep using the same container, it will help create rapport your business and your customers.

Learn more about our eco-friendly food packaging containers.

I have a lot of customers that ask me if a food packaging item is “compostable”.  Usually an item that is compostable is made out of PLA (such as Fabrikal’s Greenware cups).  PLA is also known as the plastic that is made out of corn.  While this is a more eco friendly option than an item made out of polystyrene or polypropylene (used mostly for microwaveable containers), it is not as environmentally friendly a package as an item made of recycled PET.  One issue about PLA is that it takes an incredible amount of fossil fuel based energy to farm and harvest the corn (which is usually a GMO corn).  Another issue that I find particularly disturbing about PLA based compostable products, is that these items are only compostable in a commercial composting facility!  The problem is that most food service operators do not sort their compostable packaging items, nor do they use a carting company that commercially composts.  Obviously, if you are a foodservice operator that uses Action Carting or another commercial composting carting company, then you are being very eco friendly using a compostable PLA item, or compostable food starch based cutlery.  The other issue with PLA products is what happens to these PLA products when they leave your store?  They end up in a public garbage bin.  When this happens, not only are these PLA items not composted, but they end up contaminating the recycling stream because most recycling facilities cannot differentiate between a PLA plastic item or a PET (think soda bottle plastic) item.  PET on the other hand is the most commonly and most easily recycled plastic.

Nowadays, many manufacturers use quite a bit of post consumer recycled content, in addition to post industrial content in producing their foodservice packaging items.  Most paper bags, paper shopping bags, napkins, some disposable food containers and a clear cup line are now made of post consumer recycled content.  Not only are these items already made of recycled content, but they can be easily recycled again and again, being reborn in different products and removing a lot of waste from entering a landfill.  It is also less energy intensive to recycle than to create a PLA based product.  One other advantage of recycled content options, is that there are many options for recycling products than there are commercial composting facilities.  Every home nowadays, has a recycling bin for example.  For these reasons, it is my belief that recycled content based disposable packaging is the better option if you want your food concept to be as eco friendly as possible.

Oh yeah – 1 last advantage of recycled content food packaging vs PLA plastic based packaging: it is usually much more affordable for you, the foodservice operator!

If you are interested in any additional information on making your food concept as eco friendly as possible, please contact me! My expertise is ECO FRIENDLY PACKAGING!

Almost three dozen sperm whales were found stranded along the North Sea. This area is historically too shallow for marine wildlife, which makes these discoveries even more disturbing. These sperm whales had stomachs that were full of plastic debris; including a fishing net, plastic from a car and countless other pieces of debris. Water pollution continues to kill off large numbers of marine life and serious changes need to be made immediately.

Original Article: http://expand-your-consciousness.com/sperm-whales-found-dead-in-germany-stomachs-full-of-plastic-and-car-parts/