Environmentally friendly packaging is packaging made out of recycled or renewable materials that are harmless to the environment and to the consumer. While many companies continue using packaging that is not friendly to the environment, with some examples being chip bags, single-serving foods (in packages difficult to recycle), and even pizza boxes, are instances of packaging unusable for recycling. And even though it might be a thought not on the minds of those who are producing and using these packages, the environment doesn’t need more trash and landfills across the globe, especially in the oceans where the amount of waste has become significantly increased. With this being said, more companies should consider using more packaging friendly to the environment, as companies can buy them in affordable quantities, it evidently reduces recycled waste, and there’s already too much trash and landfills across the globe.
To start off, packaging harmless to the environment can be bought in affordable quantities. After looking up the phrase “environmentally friendly packaging” on Google, comes up several results and options to buy packaging in quantities. Since most companies already buy packaging in quantities, it goes to show how easy it is to switch over to packaging better for the environment and for the consumer to use. Many companies, such as ULINE, Packola, Ecoenclose, etc., promote their availability of recyclable packaging. A con to using these packages, might be that it could potentially be more costly compared to packaging that isn’t as friendly to the environment, but investing more money into better packaging can bring more quality to the brand, and clearly better quality to the environment. Not to mention, companies can use their use of environmentally friendly packaging as a way to promote themselves as a company that care about the environment, which will draw many towards their brand, and could develop a larger following because of the loyalty the company brings to the environment. This being said, the use of friendlier packaging can be beneficial towards the company, and the amount of waste disposed.
Moving on, the production of using more friendly packaging to the environment visibly reduces the amount of waste. Because these packages can be recycled easily, it saves more energy and pollution, “Recycling prevents the emissions of many greenhouse gases and water pollutants, and saves energy. Using recovered material generates less solid waste. Recycling helps to reduce the pollution caused by the extraction and processing of virgin materials” (Bouldercounty.org). Going into this more, with the increase of easier packaging to recycled, it helps to create an easier process to recycled waste that’s made out of already recycled or renewable material. Whenever there is unrecyclable material or recycled martial that’s been interfered with food or harsh chemicals, it gets sent to a landfill, because of its inability to be recycled. With the use of easily recyclable material, it reduces waste in landfills and is less damaging to the environment, as the environment already has to deal with thousands of landfills and junkyards containing waste across the world.
Last but not least, the environment already has enough trash and junk piles all over specific communities. As the years go by, the amount of waste continues to increase, in connection to the fact the world’s population has increased significantly over the decades, “The amount of waste generated has tripled since 1960” (Johnsrefuse.com). This isn’t surprising, as more production and use of products from consumers has continued to increase over the years. But because of this, this is an example of why it’s important to use more packaging easily recycled, as it provides less waste in landfills. The environment is continually getting waste building more and more to the point where landfills become worse, if not created. With the use and promotion of easily recycled waste, in return landfills don’t drastically increase and less become created, because even though we might not be able to permanently get rid of them, we can reduce them and reduce the amount of waste that isn’t recyclable.
Overall, companies have a big role in the promotion and use of recyclable packaging that’s undamaging to the environment. Thankfully, there has been a huge increase, in the amount of packaging companies use that have material easily recyclable or made up of already recycled material. Hopefully this influences more companies over the upcoming years to take action and to think twice about how beneficial their packaging is towards the environment, as we need to treat our globe with more care and cleanliness, as things can unfortunately get worse for our environment if it still continues to get treat like a dumping ground and disposal area. Gratefully, with the use of social media and the web, comes to ability to research what companies use packaging that is helpful towards the environment, which lets many decide what companies to continue to support that are striving for a good environmental cause.
Essay by: Jordan Mclain
Arizona State University
