More and more people are beginning to realize that we only have one earth. Unfortunately, some people are fully aware of how the activities of humans affect our planet, yet they do nothing. The third category of people abstains from looking at the evidence and argue that our impact is not as pressing as it may seem. Companies that choose environmentally friendly packaging are doing the world a favor for multiple reasons.
The earth is home to some of the most beautiful creatures in the universe (this may be an assumption but let’s stick with it). Mankind must protect animals and the wildlife that we have. There are many ways to do this; environmentally friendly packaging is one of them. Animals are important to humans in many ways, therefore, we should return the favor and not destroy their habitats. Animals die in the ocean every year because of people not disposing of waste properly. If people would be using products that are easy to re-use it would be less likely that they would throw them away.
Packaging in a way where recycling is an option is far superior to normal packaging. At first, the idea of potentially losing revenue due to the cost of recyclable packaging can deter companies. What these companies do not consider is that the image of the company would be improved if they had products that could be recycled. In a sense, they would be losing revenue but with a better public image, they could also drive sales. For companies, this would be a win-win situation because not only would they be helping the environment they would also remain profitable.
Eco-friendly packaging is often lighter than the alternative. This means that more of it can be shipped from one location to the next. This would also reduce shipping costs and fewer fossil fuels would be emitted into the environment. It is kind of like a domino effect: making one socially aware decision makes it easier to make more. Lower shipping costs would benefit the whole company in general and maybe they can use the amount saved in a new product line or whatever needs they might have.
It is also possible that the government would be more likely to subsidize these eco-friendly companies. Although this does depend on where the government is located. There are quite a few incentives for governments to support companies that are environmental-friendly, because of this it makes sense to make that transition to eco-friendly even if the company is not currently on that path.
In conclusion, there are so many benefits for companies who decide to use eco-friendly packaging. Starting with the obvious effects on the environment. There will be fewer animals that die because of their habitats being destroyed. There would be fewer fossil fuels being emitted into the environment due to the nature of environmentally friendly packaging. Companies would also make a similar amount of revenue due to the new image of the eco-friendly company that could potentially drive sales.
Kristof Gal
Palm Beach Atlantic
