Posts Tagged ‘reduce waste’
Friday, June 19th, 2009
According to the New York Times, many studio
companies are now using DVD cases that are smaller and lighter in weight to reduce their environmental impact, as well as save on costs.
Warner Home Video, the largest distributor of DVD entertainment, just started releasing all of its new and library titles in cases with 20 percent less plastic. Some feature a thin layer of plastic, while others have cutouts in the walls. One of 
the main forces is to lessen the load on the environment; it will reduce Warner’s home entertainment division’s carbon emissions by 31 percent. Not only do these improvements help the environment, but they also cut costs for companies by using less raw materials and by spending less on shipping. Companies are looking to save money wherever they can, especially in this struggling economy.
Warner is not the only studio making changes in DVD packaging. Just last month, Sony Pictures Entertainment released their own 20 percent reduced DVD cases. Walt Disney Company is 
also coming up with their own green home entertainment ideas. And don’t forget that Disney, Century Fox, and Sony were the ones to really push the shift to Blu-Ray discs, in which cases have a 30 percent smaller impact on the environment.
Using lighter DVD packaging helps the environment by reducing waste and carbon emissions, while still storing and protecting your DVDs. And don’t forget about the money you’ll be saving on raw materials and shipping! 
Lighter DVD packaging could include DVD cases with cutouts in the walls, Blu-Ray cases, slim DVD cases, c-shells or square-shells.
Tags:Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray cases, c-shells, Century Fox, clamshells, cut costs, DVD cases, DVD packaging, Eco-Friendly, environmentally-friendly, reduce carbon emissions, reduce waste, slim dvd cases, Sony Pictures Entertainment, square-shells, Walt Disney Company, Warner Home Video
Posted in Eco-Friendly, Media Packaging | No Comments »
Friday, June 5th, 2009
With growing environmental concerns, we are constantly hearing the phrase, “Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.” This is especially apparent with shopping bags and wasted wrapping. According to a study by the Clean Air Council, the United States generates an extra five million tons of waste in the winter holiday months, four of which come from gift wrapping, gift bags, and shopping bags. That is an enormous amount of waste that could be reduced by using reusable materials.
If you are looking to help the environment and reduce waste from gift wrapping, we found the BOBO Wrapping Scarf online, which can do both for you. Not only are these wrapping scarves classy and fashionable, but they are also good for the environment. They are reusable and typically made from already existing fabrics, rather than wasting and using raw materials. I thought this wrapping scarf was a great green alternative to gift wrapping. It is reusable, durable, and stylish. 
When you think about packaging any of your products, think of a reusable package that will last. At Sunrise, we make durable packaging, which you will not have to replace nearly as often, so you can help reduce waste. Many of our products are also made from recyclable, biodegradable or recycled materials, and we recycle all of our excess materials. So get out there, do your part to reduce waste, and help our environment.
Greenhouse environmental management – the green house provides businesses with tailored waste management programs to minimize their waste output and costs.
Tags:BOBO Wrapping Scarf, durable packaging, eco packaging, Eco-Friendly, eco-friendly packaging, environment, environmentally-conscious, environmentally-friendly, environmentally-friendly packaging, green, green holiday, green packaging, green practices, landfill, recycle, reduce, reduce waste, reuse, Reuse Packaging, sustainable packaging
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Thursday, May 28th, 2009
I came across a great ad campaign designed by Brunner for Zippo Manufacturing Co. This collection of print ads brings perspective to the eco-conscious consumer. It reminds people that for lighters, a refillable Zippo is the greener choice. One lighter may not seem like much waste, but when you see these pictures, you can really see that it adds up in our landfills.
Their tagline, “Disposable. Just another word for garbage.” can really get people thinking. This was a very clever way to show how Zippo stands out from the competition of disposable lighters, and it reminds people to be more environmentally-friendly.
Zippo lighters are refillable and durable, making them guaranteed for life. Just like that, we have our Dura Series of CD/DVD albums. These long-lasting albums with extra reinforced spine hinges are made to withstand frequent opening and closing. And since they are so durable, they happen to be our most popular library packaging product. With the clear overlay and nickel-plated ring metals, these albums can be used over and over again.
Did you give up smoking and no longer have a need for your favorite Zippo lighter? Reuse that lighter to make your own stylish USB drive. Or if you have a few old BIC lighters laying around, you can turn those into USB drives, as well! These designs make your USB drives more creative and fun, but don’t forget about USB flash drive cases to help store and protect your devices!
Tags:BIC lighters, disposable, eco-conscious, Eco-Friendly, environmentally-conscious, environmentally-friendly, garbage, green packaging, landfill, recycle, recycling, reduce waste, refillable, reusable, smoking, USB flash drive cases, USB flash drives, USB jump drives, Zippo lighters
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Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
It seems like now, more than ever, people are paying attention to the environment, and they are showing this by recycling and choosing more eco-friendly options. Reduce, reuse, and recycle. This is what some artists are doing by making a living selling art that they made out of waste.
Anouk Zijlma showed off some great pieces of recycled art she purchased while visiting Cape Town, South Africa. There were a variety of different objects made from soda cans, plastic bottles, barbed wire, chip bags, bottle caps, metal scraps, etc. These pieces of art make great souvenirs, and they all work, even the radio and the pen!
Radio with casing made from beer cans, bottle caps, and wire. © Michael Daecher
Flower pen made from soda cans. © Michael Daecher
Toy guitar made from soda cans and wire. © Michael Daecher
Angel made from soda cans, steel wool, and wire. © Michael Daecher
Car made from soda cans, plastic bottles, bottle tops, and wire. © Michael Daecher
Cow made from plastic can and bottle tops. © Michael Daecher
Toy motorbike made from soda cans, barbed wire, spray can tops (wheels), and plastic tubing. © Michael Daecher
Crocodile made from insect repellent can. © Michael Daecher
Placemat made from chip bags, sticks, and black thread. © Michael Daecher
Flower made from soda cans and barbed wire. © Michael Daecher
Not only do these pieces of art help reduce waste, but they make great souvenirs. Since she bought these in South Africa, the waste used can remind her of her trip and the brands of food and drinks that were available there. By reusing and recycling these materials, less waste is being generated, which is better for the environment. Give one as a creative gift and show that you know what it means to recycle.
Tags:creative gift, recycle, recycled materials, recycled toys, recycling, reduce, reduce waste, reuse, reuse soda cans, South Africa, souvenirs, unique souvenir
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Friday, May 15th, 2009
Meetings and events tend to generate a significant amount of waste. There are invitations, papers, forms, display boards, name tags, signs, souvenirs, decorations, place settings, etc. You do not have to give up all of these to go green and reduce waste.
The Green Meetings Industry Council is trying to build awareness towards the goal of reducing waste generated by meetings and events. According to their study, the average meeting/event creates 20 pounds of waste per person per day. With 700 million event attendees annually in the U.S. and Canada, that brings the total up to 10.5 tons of waste per year. GMIC started the Million Tons of Trash Challenge to attempt to reduce that amount of waste by nearly 10 percent.
The GMIC is hoping that this challenge will educate the industry about being more environmentally-friendly and that we will be able to see more improvements in the future. GMIC is encouraging the efforts with a new web site that includes case studies, a blog, and a Waste Challenge Trash Calculator to record the amount of waste generated and determine the amount of waste reduced. This helps to see the effects of your green efforts. To be a part of this challenge, planners must report to the GMIC the amount of waste that they generated at their events, as well as the amount reduced and recycled. By taking these small steps to reduce waste, you can do your part to help the environment while still putting on a successful and memorable meeting/event.
MeetGreen, along with Meeting Professionals International (MPI) and the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), is also trying to promote more environmentally-friendly meetings and events. They created “Eco-Event Zones” as a part of their new program. The purpose of this is for meeting/event planners from the same city to work together to find eco-friendly opportunities in the same area and share advice.
If planners are working together on this, suppliers and building locations will be hearing their requests for more green options, which will create a greater impact.
Meetings and events can produce a lot of waste, but it doesn’t have to be that way! These programs have been created to help educate meeting and event planners on how to reduce waste. One great way is using eco-friendly name badges and bag tags that are 100% recyclable for your meeting or event. We all can do our part to help the environment by making small changes. Read more about being environmentally-friendly.
Tags:"Eco-Event Zones", eco-friendly bag tags, eco-friendly name badges, eco-friendly nametags, environmentally-friendly, event planners, event planning, GMIC, Going Green, green events, green meetings, MeetGreen, meeting planners, meeting planning, recycle, recycling, reduce waste, reuse, the Million Tons of Trash Challenge
Posted in Custom Packaging Products, Eco-Friendly | No Comments »
Wednesday, May 13th, 2009
Ever get confused by all of the different recycling rules? According to an article on MSNBC.com, the average American generates four and a half pounds of trash each day. 75 percent of this is actually recyclable. The article, inspired by Good Housekeeping magazine, tried to clear up some of the confusions about recycling, so that it would be much easier for people to properly recycle:
First off, make sure that you only use the bins or clear plastic bags approved by your recycling program. Otherwise, workers will not be able to tell what is recycling and what is garbage. Don’t waste your time by letting it end up in the garbage.
What materials can be recycled?
- Paper. You can recycle most any kind of paper–magazines, junk mail, cardboard, envelopes (no need to rip out the plastic window), newspapers, etc. You don’t even need to worry about staples, paper clips,
or spirals in notebooks, because they will be filtered out. There are some paper items that cannot be recycled. Don’t bother with pizza boxes or other items that are food-stained, because the oils can ruin the whole batch. Plastic-coated paper plates, paper towels, napkins, etc. are not recyclable. Some brightly colored, dye-saturated papers are also not recyclable, because it can be difficult to bleach the color out.
Plastic. Most bottles that have a neck smaller than the body can be recycled: beverage, cleaning products, shampoo, and some food jars). Make sure that the caps are removed. Aveda has a nationwide in-store program where you can recycle them. With plastics, pay attention to the recycling number on the bottom. This determines what kind of plastic it is and if it can be recycled. Read more on this.
Metal. A large portion of metal items that are recycled are soda, juice, and other food cans that are rinsed, but only de-labeled if requested. Other items include: rinsed aluminum pie tins and foil, wire coat hangers, empty (non-punctured) aerosol cans, and other scrap metal. Be sure to not include batteries or any electronics!- Glass. Just like with metal and plastic, glass bottles can be recycled when they are rinsed and have the cap removed. Labels do not matter, because they will be burned off at the plant. Some places will not take certain colors of glass, especially blue, and treated glass cannot be recycled.
Now that you know more about recycling, don’t be afraid to use these tips! We can all work together to reduce waste and clean up for a better environment. Read more about recycling.
Tags:Eco-Friendly, environmentally friendly business, Going Green, green, green practices, reduce waste
Posted in Eco-Friendly | 2 Comments »
Friday, May 8th, 2009
Both Jackie and I are taking vacations soon, so Jackie found a list of ways to travel Green.
Want to reduce your carbon footprint and help the environment while you travel, but think it is much too expensive to pay carbon offset fees or buy expensive, recycled suitcases: Think again. Sarah Schlichter provided “Eight ways green travel can save you money“.
Pack light.The more bags you pack and the heavier that they are, will increase the amount of fuel needed, whether you are driving or flying. By packing less, you will reduce the amount of carbon emissions and save money on gas if you are driving. The fewer bags you pack while flying will reduce your baggage fees. Don’t forget to use eco-friendly bag tags.- Borrow guidebooks.Not only will borrowing guidebooks/maps from a friend or the library save you money on purchasing them, but you are reducing waste and reusing resources.
- Buy reusable travel-size bottles.Instead of buying new travel-sized bottles of all your toiletries each time you go on a trip, buy one set of travel-sized bottles that you can reuse and refill with your own shampoo, conditioner, sunscreen, etc. Not only are you saving money by buying your items in bulk, but you are reducing the amount of travel-sized bottles that will be thrown in a landfill.
- Don’t rent a car. Not only are they expensive to rent, but they release carbon emissions. Try walking, biking, or using public transportation instead. It’s cheaper, healthier, and better for the environment.
- If you must, rent a small car or a hybrid. Smaller cars are more fuel-efficient, which means less money spent on gas and less carbon emissions released.
Prepare your car. If you are taking a road trip, make sure that your car is prepared, so that you are as fuel-efficient as you can be. Take all the extra things you don’t need out of your trunk, check your tires, and make sure your engine is tuned up.- Buy local. Wherever you are, buy local food and goods. Visit farmer’s markets and buy souvenirs from local artisans. By not having to be shipped in, they could be cheaper and have a smaller carbon footprint.
Bring your own reusable water bottle. According to the Sierra Club, billions of plastic water bottles end up in the landfills every year. From there, they take up to 1,000 years to decompose. You can reduce waste tremendously by using a water bottle that you can simply just wash and reuse. Plus, it’s free to fill your bottle with water! If you are in an area with bad water, buy a large jug of purified water to keep in your room. It is cheaper to buy in bulk, and it uses less packaging.
Whether you are going on a business trip or a vacation like Jackie and me, these are some helpful tips to save money and be environmentally-friendly at the same time. For business trips, give your company an added touch with matching
Tags:Eco-Friendly, eco-friendly nametags, eco-friendly traveling; environmentally friendly busine, Going Green, green, green packaging, green practices, green products, green traveling, reduce carbon emissions, reduce waste
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Friday, May 1st, 2009
May is Green Packaging Month at Sunrise. In May, we focus on communicating ways to create packaging that is unique, helps you stand out from the crowd, and is also environmentally responsible… yes, you can have all three. Check out our Green Packaging Pages for more information.
To get us started, since Mother’s day is next weekend, we found a web site that will help you turn an unused CD case into a beautiful card for Mom!
Here’s a picture of the completed project. check out the craftylife blog for complete instructions.
Be sure to let us know how your card turned out. In fact, send us a picture and we’ll highlight it in a post! (We’ll wait until after Mother’s Day to keep the surprise)
The next time you need a binder, CD/DVD/USB case, box or sales kit, give your favorite Account Manager a call and we’ll help you create a work of art that will be environmentally friendly too.
Tags:CD cases, Eco-Friendly, eco-friendly packaging, eco-friendly products, environment, environmentally-friendly, environmentally-friendly packaging, Going Green, green packaging, green practices, green products, recycle, recycling, reduce, reduce waste, reusable, reuse, Reuse Packaging
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Monday, April 6th, 2009
Wherever you go, you are constantly hearing about companies becoming more environmentally-friendly, but what does it mean for you? While “going green” is certainly good for the environment, it is also a smart business practice. Not only does it attract attention, but it also cuts costs and increases the profitability of your company. In the March/April 2009 issue of Enterprise Minnesota, Sarah Olson pointed out eight ways to green profits:
- Discover what green means to you.
Figure out which sustainable practices fit in with the flow and personality of your company. Some hire an outside consultant to analyze which solutions are best for the company.
- Get educated. Learn what it means to be green. Customers can tell if you know what you are talking about, and with green knowledge, they may turn to you for advice.
- Set a green standard. Eco-friendly options are all around us. By starting out early with green alternatives, you could be the example and set the standard of what it means to be environmentally-friendly for your industry. Not only do consumers notice this about your company, but you are helping get other companies become more environmentally-friendly.
- Go lean to go green. By leaning your practices, you can reduce your costs and increase your profits. Analyze your company to figure out energy and material inefficiencies. From there, figure out ways to clean up these practices to increase efficiency and profitability, while reducing costs and waste.
- Seek out incentives. Many utility companies offer deals for reducing energy consumption and waste generation, because they have to keep up with national energy regulations. For example, Xcel Energy refunds up to 50 percent on the cost of a lighting retrofit or upgrade. Others may offer grants or favorable-rate loans to businesses with energy efficiencies improvements. Ask your utility provider what kind of incentives they offer.
- Increase loyalty and attract customers. More than ever, people are looking to do business with green companies. According to a survey done by Cone Inc. and Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship, 59 percent of young adults were “concerned about the environmental impact of their consumption”, and 39 percent of those were consuming more environmentally-friendly products. According to 68 percent, “If a company had a strong reputation for environmental commitment, it positively influenced their decision to buy the product or service.” By going green, you could both keep your existing customers, as well as attract new ones.
- Reduce your carbon footprint. Not only does reducing your energy consumption help the environment, but it will lower your energy bill significantly. To top it off, being aware of your carbon emissions gives you a good reputation with those looking to do business with a green company.
- Build a greener mousetrap. Take a jumpstart in taking advantage of the increasing demand for green products. You can do this by creating a new process of making a product or the packaging more environmentally-friendly. It could reduce waste in materials used for packaging, fewer distribution trucks would be needed for shipping, and less money would be spent on energy. Aside from all of these cost-cutting benefits, it is a great marketing tool to increase sales and demand.
Going green is a practice that is here to stay. By implementing these practices for your company, you could lower your costs and increase your profitability, all while helping out the environment. Read more about our green efforts.
Tags:business practices, cut costs, Eco-Friendly, efficiency, energy consumption, energy efficient, environment, environmentally-friendly, green, green practices, increase demand, increase sales, marketing tools, money, profitability, profits, recycle, recycling, reduce waste
Posted in Eco-Friendly, Marketing | 1 Comment »
