Posts Tagged ‘environment’
Friday, December 23rd, 2011
In the packaging world, efforts are constantly being made to create packaging that will benefit consumers as well as the environment. By reusing packaging, there is a great stride in creating an environment that is more geared towards sustainable packing. In an effort to encourage companies to reduce waste and reuse more, eco-friendly packaging company, Globe Guard, invented Globe Guard® Reusable Box Sealer™. The patent-pending reusable box sealer “Makes Every Box a Reusable Box.”
The product is designed to help companies reduce packaging waste during testing, product development, shipping preparation and other applications. The sealer does not require any sort of wasteful packaging materials such as packaging tape or glues. Instead, the product allows a box to be sealed and reopened many times until it is ready to be shipped. The reusable seal also allows you to open and reopen a box without any knives or scissors. In turn, this allows for a considerable amount of reduction in the amount of corrugated waste that companies produce.
As described by Globe Guard themselves, there are two very common scenarios in which the Globe Guard Reusable Box Sealer is particularly important:
- “The box is going to be handled or shipped internally (closed loop) and not shipped via UPS, FedEx, or USPS.”
- “Immediate or repeated access to the contents is advantageous or necessary.”
The sealer works very easily and quite simply. It works by slipping the reusable sealer between the top major flaps of any box and holding them closed until the box is to be reopened again.
Quite simply, the Globe Guard® Reusable Box Sealer™ is a great new product and a great way to motivate companies to create a more eco-friendly work environment by promoting reusable packaging.
Tags:box sealer, environment, packaging, reusable, sustainable
Posted in Eco-Friendly | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, September 21st, 2011
In case you didn’t know, tomorrow is World Car-Free Day. So what does that mean? Well, this green holiday will be celebrated world-wide by individuals focused on giving the climate a break by taking cars off of the roads. People around the globe are organizing their own events exploring alternative transportation via wiki to the WCN website. WCN, or World Carefree Network, is loosely running World Car-Free Day.
What are people doing to honor this holiday you ask? Events include everything from group cycling on the way to work to people protesting the lack of non-car transportation options in the street. But if you live in a location where this celebration simply isn’t practical, there are still options for the dedicated. You could sample an electric car from a car sharing program such as Hertz on Demand for the day. Carpooling is another option that is an act of lessening the amount of automobiles on the roads.
World Car-Free Day began in 2008 and tomorrow will mark the 4th time it will be celebrated.
Tags:automobile, bicycle, bike, carpool, cars, electric car, environment, gasoline, pollution, transportation
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Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
Ford and Toyota are teaming up to make a gas-electric hybrid engine to power pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles. The signed deal has both companies sharing development costs to make a hybrid engine that is more affordable to bring it to the market faster. Hybrid automobiles have been the talk of the auto industry since gas spiked in 2007 but because of how expensive the options are, American consumers have yet to buy in. And whose to blame them in the middle of the biggest recession since the Great Depression?
Another reason that hybrids have not grown popular in the US is because Americans find trucks and SUVs necessary- more so than other countries. And hybrid options up to this point for trucks and SUVs have been underwhelming. That is the main reason that this deal between automobile giants has been struck. Toyota’s Executive Vice President for R&D, Takeshi Uchiyamada, said about hybrid technology for trucks and SUVs “Those kind of models are indispensable to American customers. And providing them with our hybrid technology will help conserve energy and reduce output for greenhouse gas here in the US”.
Hybrid trucks will help automakers meet stricter government regulations into the future. In the US, the fleet of new cars and trucks will be required to average 56.5 miles per gallon by 2025.
It will take a year for Ford and Toyota to figure out who will do what research and about 2-3 years before a system can be developed. No speculation yet as to how gas mileage their engine will get.
Tags:automobiles, cars, environment, Ford, green cars, Greenhouse Gas, hybrid, SUV, Toyota, trucks
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Friday, August 19th, 2011
Approximately 1,369 tons of polystyrene foam goes into U.S. landfills daily. By volume, polystyene foam takes up 25 to 30 percent of total landfill area. These figures make it one of the most environmentally unfriendly types of waste around.
Big cities in California such as San Francisco, Oakland, and Huntington Beach have banned the use of polystyrene foam takeout packaging. You can now add Salinas to the list. Salinas city council banned the containers at a 6-1 vote on August 16th which will officially go into effect February 12, 2012. The law also extends into banning all disposable food serviceware including plates, cups, bowls, trays, cup lids, straws, utensils, etc. The law will apply to all establishments that sell or provide prepared food for takeout.
There are a total of 39 bans on polystyrene takeout packaging in California. Los Angeles has bans in place at citywide facilities and events. A bill will be voted on by the state on August 25th that looks to phase out polystyrene takeout packaging statewide by 2016.
Various cities up the West Coast including Seattle and Portland have also banned these containers. If packaging companies are slow to evolve into the new world of sustainable packaging, they most likely will be forced to by law to help preserve the environment. It’s no question that our eco-conscious society is changing the dynamics of the industry.
Tags:environment, foam, Food Packaging, polystyrene, Styrofoam, sustainable, takeout
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Monday, June 6th, 2011
The act of going green is defined as the process of changing one’s lifestyle for the safety and benefit of the environment. People who decide to go green and take on an eco-friendly lifestyle consider the outcomes their decisions have on global warming, pollution, and other environmental concerns. Sounds simple right? Well if you are a business it may be harder than you think. Those who do decide to make their business practices green have the potential to make a big impact in helping save the environment. They also set a positive attitude for their company, differentiate themselves from competitors, improve efficiency, and reduce costs. Going green is an big process to tackle, but the end results are great.
One problem that arises when businesses decide to go green is green washing. Green washing is the practice of companies making unsubstantiated or misleading claims of the environmental benefits of a product or service. Those who rise above this maintain a good company name and brand, while also promoting eco-friendliness.
Here are the top 3 green companies that have made commitments to become sustainable companies:
1. Dell: Dell has made a commitment to transform their packaging by making it safe for the environment. They started by trying out different materials for their packaging. Dell worked with bamboo because it replenishes itself quickly. They also just recently turned to mushrooms as part of their cushioning for their server packaging. Mushrooms are grown, not manufactured, using less energy to produce the packaging. Dell has made many goals in becoming a sustainable company. They plan on reducing waste and making their packaging recyclable. They are constantly looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
2. Wal-Mart: The CEO of Wal-Mart decided a few years ago to make a commitment to becoming more sustainable. They decided to make goals of running their stores on 100% renewable energy, implementing a zero waste system, and redesigning products so they are more eco-friendly. Wal-Mart has been successful in meeting their goals and becoming a more sustainable company. They have drastically reduced its waste, cut down on packaging for the goods they sell, improved fuel efficiency, and monitored their suppliers carbon footprint. Wal-Mart has saved millions of dollars by going green, which has helped their business as well as the environment.
3. Waste Management: When you think of this company, eco-friendly probably is the first words that come to mind. But they are taking initiative to change that. Waste Management is no longer just a garbage company, but an environmental answer resource. They are taking charge and finding advances in technology to reduce waste, increase recycling and reuse, creating safer disposal options, and developing sources of renewable energy. They have also found a way to capture methane from landfills, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and has generated enough renewable energy to power 1 million homes. They are more than just a garbage company to 20 million customers and are continuing to find ways to protect the environment.
If these 3 companies can take the imitative to go green, so can others. These companies have done a great job at setting examples for other companies to hopefully follow.
Tags:carbon footprint, Dell, Eco-Friendly, environment, environmentally-friendly, greenhouse gas emissions, greenwashing, packaging, recycling, renewable energy, sustainable company, Wal-Mart, Waste Management
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Tuesday, May 31st, 2011
PepsiCo is at it once again to fulfill their overall environmental goal of becoming an eco-friendly company. PepsiCo has realized something very important, their beverages are not just packaged in cans and bottles, cups are another way that Pepsi products get distributed. Places like colleges, stadiums, theme parks, and eateries use cups to serve Pepsi beverages. Although cans are fully recyclable and they have created the Plant Bottle, PepsiCo now has another task to tackle.
So how did PepsiCo solve this problem? They realized the need for sustainable beverage packaging and used some innovation and creativity to create 5 different eco-friendly, compostable, and recyclable cups that they will issue to their U.S. food-service customers. They designed 100% recyclable clear plastic cups, compostable paper cups, and wax cups that are made from plant-based materials from sustainably managed forests.
PepsiCo has done a fantastic job at going green and meeting their sustainability goals. They work hard to come up with innovative ways to green their packaging. PepsiCo has taken initiative to realize that consumers want to be more eco-friendly and they want their packaging to be eco-friendly as well. They hope that other companies will realize this and come up with their own ways to be more sustainable companies and produce eco-friendly packaging.
Tags:beverage packaging, compostable, Eco-Friendly, eco-friendly packaging, environment, environmentally-friendly, green, innovative, packaging, PepsiCo, plant based materials, recyclable, sustainable
Posted in Eco-Friendly, Packaging Design, Product Information | No Comments »
Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
Renew: The VBS Eco Binder
It’s hard not to stop and look twice at this eco binder. It’s imaginative design and eco-friendliness combine to create a green look all of its own. Used as a program guide for Renew: The Green VBS, its creators wanted to make a statement on environmental stewardship.
Sunrise Packaging found a great solution for the customer that not only included an eco-friendly look, it demonstrated sustainable packaging. The eco binder is made out of 100% recycled chipboard and is silk screened with UV inks that contain no solvents making it 100% recyclable at the end of its life cycle. The ring metals can easily be removed and recycled through a local scrap metal recycler. Sunrise Packaging can customize your eco-binder to catch the attention of your audience.
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Tags:3-ring binders, binder, chipboard, Eco-Friendly, environment, green packaging, ring binders, sustainable
Posted in Binders, Case Studies, Custom Packaging Products, Eco-Friendly, New Products, Packaging Design | No Comments »
Monday, May 23rd, 2011
Consumerism is a movement that seeks to protect and inform consumers by requiring practices like packaging, advertising, product guarantees, and safety standards. In theory it is also the outcome of producing greater consumption of goods for the benefit of the economy. Since we have become a society that is concerned with the state of our environment, consumerism has become eco-friendly. Green consumerism is a new movement that is concerned about products and services that are considered ethically made. This means with minimal harm to or exploitation of humans, animals, and/or the natural environment.
Green consumerism is interesting in that it focuses on us buying green products. Well how beneficial are green products to the environment if we don’t use them properly. An article written by Jacquie Ottman titled “The Next Frontier in Green Marketing is Responsible Consumption” pinpoints this issue spot on. The article provides an example: how is an eco-friendly light bulb eco-friendly if the light remains on after everyone leaves the room? They contradict each other. We may feel good about doing our part if we buy green products, but we need to focus more on the behaviors we conduct when we use them. It defeats the purpose of buying green if we are not using the products in an eco-friendly manner.
Going green is based on behavior. If we want to be buy eco-friendly products we must learn green behaviors. If we look at this issue from a business perspective, marketers of green products should focus on adding value for consumers and providing them with the needed knowledge of how to use the product. Buying green products and using them properly is how we will help save our planet. Green consumerism is on the rise and more consumers feel they have a personal responsibility to do their part to help the earth.
Tags:advertising, business, consumerism, consumers, consumption, Eco-Friendly, environment, go green, green, green consumerism, green products, marketers, packaging
Posted in Eco-Friendly, Marketing | No Comments »
Monday, April 25th, 2011
We are encompassed by the words green, eco-friendly, and sustainable, but do we really know what it fully means to be eco-friendly and go green? Going green are steps we can take to replace environmentally harmful behaviors with behaviors that are friendly. These new behaviors can be simple or complex based on small or large scale atmospheres. Smaller scale behaviors can be done at home by an individual or a few others, while large scale operations can be done by corporations trying to become more sustainable overall.
Going green is centered around three words: reduce, reuse, and recycle. There are many ways to put these words into action and become more eco-friendly. One person can make a difference by following those three words in their everyday lives. One can reduce the amount of plastic bag usage by bringing their own bags when shopping. Reusable bottles can be used for water, juice, ect instead of drinking bottled beverages. And a person can take part in a recycling program at home so items can have the chance to be made into something else instead of going to the landfill.
Corporations can take their part in helping the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling. Companies can find ways to make their packaging more eco-friendly by reducing ink and print content or the use of plastics. Amazon did this with their “frustration free” packaging by reducing content on their boxes and just having words on their packaging. They can also take their waste products from production and find ways to reuse them in other aspects of their business. PepsiCo’s UK Walkers brand potato chips did this by using the starch from their unused potato peels. Companies can also sprinkle eco-friendliness in their offices by initializing a recycling program and getting employees involved.
Every little bit of time we take to do things to be more eco-friendly helps our planet. So what does it mean to go green? Anything that will help the earth is an act of going green. Whether its done by an individual or a corporation, we can all take out part in protecting our planet.
Tags:earth, eco-friendliness, Eco-Friendly, environment, environmentally-friendly, go green, green, packaging, planet, recycle, reduce, reuse, sustainable
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Friday, April 22nd, 2011
Today is the day we honor our home planet and bring awareness to environmental causes, hoping to inspire and educate people to act eco-friendly. The first Earth day was in 1970 and since then over 175 countries celebrate our planet and promote environmentalism. This year Earth Day has been centered around a campaign called A Billion Acts Of Green. This is personal, organizational, and corporate pledges to live and act in an eco-friendly and sustainable manner. This campaign is the largest environmental service campaign in the world and is constantly gaining individuals, companies, and governments committed to taking their part in helping the environment. Whether an individual decides to take an initiative and create a change or a corporation decides to create sustainability in their company, A Billion Acts of Green welcomes an sort of help in reducing carbon emissions and helping the Earth.
This campaign shows how people can take their part in protecting our planet. Every bit of help counts. When individuals and organizations make commitments to better our environment, possibilities for success are endless. Cooperation and dedication are portrayed when millions come together to support a cause.
Other elements of Earth Day 2011 include:
-Athletes for the Earth: Voices of Olympic and professional athletes speak out to help the environment
-The Canopy Project: Deals with the restocking of existing forests and woodlands which have been depleted from the effect of deforestation
-Green Schools: Helping schools become eco-friendly
-Women and Green Economy (WAGE): Encouraging women leaders to develop ways to green our economy
-Creating Climate Wealth: Finding ways to solve the concern about climate change
-Arts for the Earth: Honor environmental artists who have made art that has brought sustainability to our world
Happy Earth Day!
Tags:2011, A Billion Acts of Green, awareness, carbon emissions, celebrate, Earth Day, Eco-Friendly, educate, environment, environmentalism, sustainability
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