What is the impact that companies have when it comes to packaging? Does more environmentally friendly packaging make a difference? These are the questions that are currently being thought about in today’s society as more people begin to realize the impact nonbiodegradable items have on our earth. Why should more companies go towards more eco-friendly packaging? It’s because of the environmental impact it can have in keeping the earth healthy and alive.
Now, why would companies even go towards eco-friendly packaging? Seems pretty inconvenient for them, especially when plastic and cardboard end up being pretty cheap on their end. Although now we are in an age of change, as well in an era where people judge companies and people more than ever before and will go toward the more environmentally friendly company. In the 2020 consumer survey, it was shown that 43-65% of consumers prefer companies that take action on environmental issues. Companies such as Nike even use recycled plastic for their shoes to reduce the waste plastic creates. The more money these eco-friendly companies make, the more they will help keep the world from continuing to get cluttered with litter and plastics that dont decompose for about 450 years and by then there will be even more plastic on the ground and ocean. It gets even worse from the side effects of non-eco-friendly packaging. Some non-eco-friendly packaging even has toxins such as bisphenol which can contaminate food and water. Why would companies want the possibility of their consumers getting sick due to the lack of care in their packaging? Although as much as people want these options for eco-friendlier options, what’s the cost?
Today we see many plastic bottles compared the old-fashioned glass bottles, why is this? Well, it’s due to how much cheaper it is, compared to glass, plastic is $0.01 cheaper. It’s also not about the just price too, it’s also about other costs such as energy, if we were to use glass bottles, it would take 40% more energy to transport and with that comes more CO2 emissions. The cost alone to transport such bottles is 5 times the normal about for plastic bottles. So why would any company want to use eco-friendly packaging when costs like these exist? The answer is while it costs more to have these changes, there is also a cost in using plastic. Animals dying due to plastic being on the streets and in the ocean. Plastics and foam can cause a gas called methane to produce which causes global warming, which will cost more energy to be used and more severity in storms as seen in modern-day society. Those storms also cause damage that needs to be fixed and in turn have a large cost as well.
To conclude, the earth needs environmentally friendly packaging because of the environmental costs and the want for more companies to go green. While it might cost more and be able before more companies begin to change their packaging, hopefully soon as more studies and articles come out more and more companies will realize the impact they make when using single-use plastics.
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Essay by: Sara Grace Stessel
Desert Vista Highschool
