I think that the more companies that adopt more environmentally friendly packaging, the less waste we will produce. Take a billion-dollar company like McDonalds. They have done work to reduce their environmental footprint before, taking the plastic packaging and switching it to cardboard as cardboard can be broken down easier. But they still use plastic drinking cups that are not as easily broken down as cardboard might be. To switch to an environmentally friendlier option would benefit the carbon footprint even more. It is hard to switch, considering how large some of these companies are and that to switch to something new entirely would be hard to get the message out. The more companies that adopt the packaging, the better off we would be. With environmentally friendly packaging, we can reduce the strain on our already valuable resources and better protect the planet from being abused.
I believe that packaging can also be changed to protect the wildlife. I think that with better packaging, the less likely some animals will be hurt or killed such as turtles from the plastic rings that hold drinks together. If we looked into some type of product that was water soluble for instance, then the problem with plastic strangling the sea-life. According to Elevatepackaging.com, “Eco-Friendly packaging avoids using mixed materials where possible, and this includes labels! Mixed materials and standard adhesive labels used on otherwise compostable packaging can ruin efforts to recycle or compost by damaging machinery and contaminating the process.” I see this quote as a sign that some companies are starting to realizer the impact that they are having on the environment themselves and what this will do to affect the long-term impact of the environment. With companies trying to work towards a general goal of lessening the impact on the environment, it makes room for others to see the effect of how the reduction helps the planet and may lead to them following suit.
I feel that recycling programs do work. I feel that they impact to slow the continued abuse of the planets resources by continuing to use and reuse materials that have already been produced. I believe that with continued efforts in this, we will be able to work towards a better future for our children. The more we work to reduce our footprint, the better it will be to keep the planet healthy for generations to come. I am of the opinion that the more we recycle and reuse items, the less strain it will be for the planet. It is not a loss of resources that are already dwindling, but a reuse of what has already been produced and even with recycling, It is better than spending more energy to better preserve the planet from being hurt more than we already do. I think that if these larger companies spent more to help out the environment, the more other places would participate too. The longer we can sustain the planet and the healthier it is, the longer chance we give it to make a better place for our children.
Works Cited:
Why choose eco-friendly packaging? Elevate Packaging. (n.d.). Retrieved November 28, 2021
Essay by: Sina Wegel
Arizona State University
