In 2008, Amazon launched its “Frustration Free Packaging” initiative which was born out of demand from consumers to have packaging that was easier to open. Nineteen items from Mattel and its Fisher Price brand, Microsoft Corp. and memory-card maker Transcend Information Inc. were used for the project. It has grown to 80,000 products this year, with more than 12 million items expected to ship under the program. Amazon wants to at least triple that number next year.

Teaming up with Wal-Mart, Amazon is pushing more manufacturers to change their packaging to cut waste and ease shoppers’ “wrap rage”. The nation’s largest online store and the world’s biggest retailer are asking large vendors like Procter & Gamble and headset maker Plantronics to do away with unnecessary and cumbersome packing materials. Such awkward packaging includes hard plastic packaging and wire ties used to secure toys to cardboard backings. Amazon is contacting manufacturers that get poor customer feedback about their packaging and sending engineers to help them improve their designs. By 2013, Wal-Mart plans to reduce packaging by 5 percent compared with 2008 levels, saving an estimated $3.4 billion annually.

While reduced packaging can boost consumers’ satisfaction, lower shipping costs and appeal to the environmentally conscious, companies are balancing those benefits with the need for packaging that still prevents theft and damage.

This year, manufacturers have been criticized for not using enough recycled or sustainable materials in their packaging. Greenpeace has targeted toy companies who were sourcing packaging materials from Indonesia that derived from the rain forests.

With a global recession negatively affecting many industries there are some industries experiencing phenomenal growth. One example is the paper packaging market which according to recent research, is expected to hit $236 billion dollars globally before the end of 2011. Further, in emerging markets such as China, Brazil, and India, the growth is expected to persist. The consumer demand in North America and Europe is also on the rise.

So why the growth in this market? Various factors such as the ability to recycle, convenience, and cost-effectiveness can be attributed. The main advantage the paper packaging industry has through is its environmentally friendliness. Combined with quality, paper packaging is a viable packaging option in our modern world that is concerned about sustainability. As technologies and innovations continue to evolve, the paper packaging market only gets stronger providing manufacturers with more customized solutions.

This report comes as no surprise to anyone who has observed packaging in a retail setting over the past handful of years. Paper packaging is replacing many types of plastics packaging. Consumer behavior is changing, demanding less packaging that is recyclable and marketers and packaging manufacturers are capitalizing on the opportunities.

Method has unveiled its latest innovation in sustainable packaging- a bottle that is made out of plastic collected from the North Pacific Gyre, also referred to as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The bottle contains 100% post-consumer polyethylene, 25% of which is plastic collected from the Gyre. Method has partnered with Envision Plastics who is one of the largest recyclers in the US making it possible to make this Ocean PCR that is the same quality as virgin HDPE plastic.

The process starts will collecting and cleaning the plastic removing unwanted contaminants where it is then blended and remanufactured into high quality plastic. The beauty is that the upcycled ocean plastic can be recycled again and again. Method’s ultimate goal is to raise awareness that the real solution to plastic pollution lies in reusing and recycling the plastic that’s already on the planet. Method also aims to prove that green business can grow the US economy and create jobs.

Method made its first bottle entirely from post-consumer recycled plastic in 2006. Since then they’ve been known as a leading innovator in premium eco-friendly household and personal care products by developing plastic packaging that is completely free from virgin plastics. Method products can be found in over 35,000 retail locations.

Coca-Cola has made their vision clear of making all of their plastic bottles from plant-based materials and recycled plastic by 2020. Their latest development is rolling out new packaging for their 500ml drinks. The new PlantBottle packaging is made from 22.5% renewable plant-based PET and 25% recycled plastic. The reason these new bottles are more eco-frlendly is that they’ll reduce the company’s dependency on fossil fuels. They are being released today in the UK and can be identified with a PlantBottle logo.  More than 5 billion of Coke’s PlantBottles will be available in 20 countries by the end of 2011.

Coca-Cola is not new to the green movement. In fact, last year they won the Best Sponsor Activation award at the UK Festival Awards for their recycling program. Coke is committed to recover the equivalent of 100% of their packaging by 2020.

By 2015, paper use in magazines, newspapers, and books is expected to fall between 12 and 20 percent from 2010 levels. With the increased use of tablets nationwide, there is no surprise at this report. In 2010, tablets exploded onto the market where by the end of their first year, 15 million tablet computers were in use. North America alone accounted for 10 million and by 2015, that number is expected to grow to 200 million.

Some people out there thought that the newspaper industry would be a thing of the past by now. Where will it be in 2015- just three short years away?

As paper use falls, the packaging market will also see big changes. Environmentally friendly packaging growth is expected to really take off with degradable packaging experiencing the most demand growth. As manufacturing technology continues refine degradable packaging to expand its uses, the sky will be the limit. The development of degradable packaging has been slow as researchers are testing materials such as mushrooms, banana leaves, and coconuts.

Right now, recycled content packaging is the largest green packaging sector by far because it is far more developed. What will packaging look like in 2015?

Bottle schools are schools built from “waste” plastic soda bottles & other inorganic trash. Entire communities work together, young & old, to make the dream of education reality.

A non-profit organization called Hug It Forward is the catalyst uniting these communities in Guatemala where  kids are being taught environmental education and adults learn different types of skilled labor. The result is a wonderful facility, which is a symbol of unity, to educate present and future generations. So far, 10 bottle schools have been built around Guatemala.

The first project in Granados, Guatemala, over 5,000 plastic bottles were used to build two classrooms, containing 2053lbs of trash and using 9720lbs of cement. 297 children and youth currently attend the school, which serves a municipality of 13,860 people throughout 95.75 square miles.

By building with “waste” materials, leveraging the volunteer labor of the community, and by ensuring that 100% of donations are spent on projects (no money is taken for overhead or salaries), Hug It Forward can build a two-classroom school for around $12,000.

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) is an industry working group that is committed to creating and implementing an environmental vision for packaging. Their mission is to advocate and communicate a robust vision for making packaging more environmentally friendly. They also support innovative and functional packaging materials that promote economic and environmental health. SPC has been working on a new project and they are preparing to launch a voluntary labeling pilot program for packaging this fall that intends to increase recycling and make it easier to understand. The hope is to eliminate confusion that is caused by some labels. SPC will allow members to use this new labeling program on their products, and plan on opening the program to others. The overall goal of this program is for it to become a universal label.

Eco labeling has taken some heat recently because it can be confusing and misleading. Some companies that participate in greenwashing use eco labels to make their products appear to be eco-friendly. This has led to consumer confusion and frustration. Consumers want instruction and direction on what is actually recyclable. This pilot labeling program will help give consumers the right information on what to recycle, with the goal of keeping everyone on the same page.

The labels have three classifications: widely recycled, not recyclable, and limited recycling. A black diagonal line will classify the not recyclable label. Limited recycling will have the phrase check locally above the icon and it will identify the material. Plastic bags and films will be classified by store drop off or recycle if clean and dry.

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.

Although the Philadelphia Eagles lost their chance of making it to the Super Bowl, they are making touchdowns in creating eco-friendliness in their stadium. Owner Jeffery Lurie, is fitting Lincoln Financial Field with wind turbines, solar panels, and a biodiesel-reliant power plant. This will be the first major U.S. sports facility to be self-sufficient on renewable fuel. The goal is to have the eco-friendly additions ready by next season.

The stadium will be equipped with 80 wind turbines that will be placed on the upper rim of the stadium. 2500 solar panels will be hung on an overhang and facade. The power plant will be in the parking lot and will consist of 7.6-megawatts. The operations at the Lincoln Financial Field are also environmentally friendly. Almost everything that can be recycled is recycled, and everything else is composted. The new “green” stadium will save the team about $60 million in energy costs as well as reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions. Lurie also hopes that this project will prove to be a good example for others and encourage businesses to do even better.

The new trend in this day and age is going green and being eco-friendly. Every day new concepts and technology is created to help the environment and reduce waste. This trend is becoming stronger for 2011, as the population becomes more concerned about the environment. The new year is bringing innovative ways to go green.

Here are 15 ways to make the new year more eco-friendly:

1. Become educated about how to become more environmentally friendly. Read blogs, research issues, and contribute your thoughts to the matter.
2. Consider new lifestyle habits instead of sticking with old ones. Try to break free from chronic global clutter and excessive consumerism.
3. Find do it yourself ways to make things instead of buying them.
4. Avoid fast food restaurants and try to cook at home. They may be cheap and quick outlets, but the industry is responsible for contributing billions of tons of waste annually to our planet.
5. Stop wasting food. Buy less if you can’t consume it, freeze leftovers, or give excess to someone who needs it.
6. Try working vegetarian food into your diet and help reduce the overall demand for factory farmed protein. Try to commit to a plant based lifestyle for a day or a week, or a full year if your feeling veggie.
7. Household items may collect dust, but avoid throwing them away. Instead, donate them, sell them, or ask a friend or relative if they might want your unwanted items.
8. Recycle old and outdated clothing by refashioning them. Create unique pieces of clothing or accessories out of your old clothing and accessories. What could have been thrown away could now be a new fashion statement.
9. Think carefully before you throw something into the garbage. Ask yourself “Is there a way that I can turn this into a valuable resource?”
10. Try to bike and walk or run more instead of relying on gas.
11. Clean with simple and pure ingredients and steer away from air fresheners that release vast amounts of volatile organic compounds. Plants are a great way to filter your air.
12. Buy a water filter and drink real water. Avoid buying bottled water, instead use a real glass from a real faucet.
13. RECYCLE
14. Become apart of consumer conscious programs such as TerraCycle, RecycleBank, NuRide, MyEex, and Neighborhood Fruit. These are just a few groups that help the planet.
15. Finally, share your eco-friendly efforts with others. There may be something you do that others may benefit from, and vise versa. Spread the word to help the environment.