Decades from now, astronauts won’t be able to see the contrast of the lush, jungle greens from the deep, mysterious blue of the Earth’s ocean. Instead, patches of plastic white will litter the Earth, tainting our only home. The cause of destruction? Man.
The importance of sustainable packaging is vital to the cleanliness as well as liveliness on Earth. If single-use and non recyclable packaging stays prevalent, then there will be more trash inhabiting our waters than fish. Furthermore, household pets are at risk from petty trash such as bottle caps and hard plastic. When going on a walk with your beloved animal, count the amount of small plastics you stumble upon that could pose a threat to the safety of your furry friend.
If the wellbeing of animals doesn’t concern you, think about the generations of your family yet to come. Rather than them living in huts made out of garbage or using the plastic casing from water bottles to walk their pets, the thought of walking outside without empty containers at their feet sounds appealing. Rather than the light jingle of windchimes, it will be the contact of “Starbucks” straws moving with the wind if sustainable packaging isn’t enforced.
The positive impacts of sustainable packaging is it will benefit both the producer and consumer reduce their environmental footprint. There is a possibility for higher profits in the long term if there is a future for sustainable packaging. Furthermore, there has been an increase in biodegradable packaging which is on their way to becoming easily accessible as well as cheap. Sustainable packaging reduces the limited amount of resources Earth has to offer. By utilizing this method of packaging, waste, water usage, electricity, and emissions can be reduced.
While there are beneficial impacts from sustainable packaging there are some cons. Some companies require the use of plastics for certain products. However, some plastic products are better than all plastic materials. Being smart and understanding how to dispose of these products is the mindset to a sustainable consumer. Another negative is recycling rates are declining. Nowadays, people aren’t aware and simply don’t care for what happens to their trash and what happens to it. Littering is a negative effect from this type of mentality. To negate this problem, recycling should be taught from a young age as well as the negative impacts caused from irresponsible disposal.
The beneficial effects of sustainable packaging greatly outweigh the negatives. Laziness and ignorance is the cause of plastic littering our planet. But, through careful practice and the use of recyclable biodegradables and knowledge of recycling, Earth won’t be covered in the waste caused by humans. Sustainable packaging will be cheaper and there will be environmental and societal benefits for change. The lives of sea and life animals can be healthy and protected by this healthier and beneficial use of packaging. This is only the beginning of sustainable packaging, and progress will surely be made to keep our planet healthy and clean.
Essay by: Jessica Moon
Hamilton High School
