To get straight to the point, the reason why companies should switch over to more environmentally friendly packaging is so that we can take better care of our planet. There are millions of tons of waste that is made just from America in a single year. The waste has to go somewhere so many times it goes to recycling plants, landfills, or open-water sources. The damage that is sustained from this waste will last for generations and it affects people, plant life, and animal life as well. Companies have only recently started to research other materials of which to make their products from and this change started because of pressure from people.
Environmental activists have been fighting for legislation that would put more responsibility on companies to deal with the egregious amounts of waste they create. Whether it be through production or consumption, companies are not held accountable to do more than they are. As to the reason they do not do it is because they do not want profits that are made to be used for something that does not earn for them. There could be incentives made for companies promised to them by lawmakers to do so, but that is another topic of discussion. Activists are a nuisance to these companies so just a promise and a plan to become environmentally conscious is a win for both sides. This could also lead to a snowball effect where more and more companies switch over to the light side.
There is already a reason for why companies should look into these products. Creating environmentally friendly packaging that could biodegrade with no harm to people or the land could also save them money as well. Creating a section that buys a lot of this kind of packaging is not as costly as plastic packaging. Promoting themselves as environmentally friendly could also earn themselves new customers who look to support companies like that.
Without there being pushes for more sustainable and biodegradable packaging there would be much more waste and trash in landfills and the ocean. With support from legislators, companies can get tax write-offs and money to help in their efforts to reduce pollution and save the planet. There is money to be made that can also save the environment.
Benny Uba
Arizona State University