What Is Sustainable Packaging?
In 2005, the Sustainable Packaging Coalition -- whose nine founding members include Starbucks, Nike, Unilever and Estee Lauder -- drew up a definition of sustainable packaging based on a series of green and market credentials. In a broader sense, sustainable packaging to designed to have as little environmental impacts as possible.
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Definition
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According to the coalition, sustainable packaging should be sourced, manufactured and recycled using renewable energy and -- when possible -- be made from recycled or renewable materials with the use of clean technology.
Examples
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New types of sustainable packaging are being developed all the time. These include compost-friendly material, glass, recyclable aluminum, molded fiber from 100 percent recycled paper and bio-plastics, such as corn-derived polyactic acid.
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Considerations
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There is no packaging that is 100 percent sustainable. It is important to approach the environmental impact of consumerism with individual solutions, such as buying loose fruit, reusing a plastic shopping bag or investing in a recyclable coffee cup.
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References
- Photo Credit recycle image by Georgios Kollidas from Fotolia.com
