Green Purchasing - Packing Material
The commercial packaging industry has made great strides in creating and utilizing recycled materials. There is no longer any need or justification for using polystyrene "peanuts," plastic bubble wrap or molded packaging material which cannot be recycled. This and other plastics are made from toxic materials which are filling our oceans with "islands" of debris and putting all marine life at risk.
Your town can help address this problem by passing a resolution specifying that all materials and supplies shipped to the town use biodegradable packing materials. Download the sample resolution.
Here is a cost analysis of plastic and non-plastic packing materials.
Buying locally produced products is obviously the easiest way to reduce transportation costs and related greenhouse gas emissions.
Avoid Plastic Packing Materials
Resources
The non-profit Sustainable Packaging Coalition is the leading voice on packaging sustainability with a membership that encompasses the entire packaging life cycle.
Download and share our flyer "Eight Things to Know About Plastic Packing Materials."
References
[1] Garcia, J. M., & Robertson, M. L. (2017). The future of plastics recycling. Science, 358(6365), 870-872
[2] Kaiser, J. (2010). The Dirt on Ocean Garbage Patches. Science, 328(5985), 1506-1506.
[3] Almenar, E., et al. (2008). Postharvest shelf life extension of blueberries using a biodegradable package. Food Chemistry, 110(1), 120-127.
[4] Salkin, P. E. (2009). Can You Hear Me up There - Giving Voice to Local Communities Imperative for Achieving Sustainability. Environmental Energy & Policy Journal, 256-296.