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.

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.

You may have decided to store your CDs and DVDs in albums for easy organization and to save space. If you’re like me, these jewel cases are still taking over your room, because you do not have the heart to throw them away. But what do you do with them?

We researched online and found several creative ways in which you can reuse these jewel cases, instead of adding more to our landfills. Here are a few of the good ideas that we found:

1. Turn them into picture frames. This is simple and easy project. You can decorate your own border and insert the picture. You can either make a standing frame, put magnets on the back to put on the fridge, or mount them on the wall.
2. Make a wall calendar. All you have to do is print the numbers 1-31 on separate sheets and place them in the mounted cases. You could even insert a friend’s picture in the case of his or her birthday.
3. Make a pen holder. Craft Chi explained how to make a pen holder out of slim jewel cases. The sides can be decorated with pictures or artwork.
4. Store pressed leaves or flowers. This is a great way to display and protect them from damage.
5. They make great gifts. You could give a friend one of these crafted ideas, or make them an audio mix CD.
6. Donate them. Chances are you have more jewel cases than you would like to make picture frames with. Kids love crafts, so you could donate your extra cases to a local school or church organization. Libraries constantly have to buy new cases to loan out their music. You could donate your cases as a way of “giving back” for the services that they provide. Small indie bands may also like to use your old cases to package their CDs.

These are many simple and easy ways to display your memories. Not only do these crafts make great gifts, but it helps relieve your eco-friendly conscience by not having to throw boxfuls of plastic away. So go tackle that mountain of jewel cases and get ready for an afternoon of crafting fun.