World Oceans Day is an international event of education and action which takes place around the globe every year on June 8th. Originally proposed at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992, it aims to bring awareness to the implementation of the worldwide sustainable development goals, fosters public interest […]
There is a general understanding of what EPR is in the world of packaging sustainability. But what exactly is EPR, and how does it help companies reach their sustainability goals? According to the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is an approach to policy that takes all the environmental costs associated with packaging throughout […]
The American West is in the midst of a severe water crisis. The Colorado River Basin is one of the most severely stressed bodies of water in the United States, supplying water for agriculture and industry and relied on by over 40 million people across seven states as a source of drinking water. After two […]
Referred to as the biggest climate change deal since the Paris Agreement, the UN Environmental Assemblies agreement to end plastic pollution aims to address the international plastic crisis through lifecycle analysis, design, and encouraging technological advances to minimize waste generation. The agreement will result in an internationally binding legislation by 2024. The world is moving […]
Plastics are incredibly convenient materials. Glass is transparent and aesthetically pleasing, metals are sturdy and easily shaped, paper is lightweight and cheaply produced. But plastic can be any or all of these at once. Plastics are extremely versatile and can be tailored to nearly any need, which has led to the rapid rise of plastic […]
As climate initiatives and sustainability goals become more prevalent in the packaging industry, many companies are looking to incorporate recycled materials into their package design. In theory, with the amount of plastic, glass, and metal consumed it seems as though post consumer recycled (PCR) materials should be in abundance; however, the reality is far from […]
Everyone depends on packaging for safe distribution of products. For the longest time, plastic has been the bulk of packaging material across the world. However, with widespread pollution becoming a major concern, the use of plastic, especially on single use terms, will see a sharp decline. Calls for adoption of reusable and refillable alternatives are […]
When left to its own devices, nature operates in a feedback loop — a self-sustaining cycle that uses and reuses its own resources. A long time ago, before progress and industrialization, society strived to emulate such a paradigm (a circular economy). Demand and ingenuity, however, has compelled us to move towards a more linear approach […]
Circular economy has long been a buzzword and topic driving discussions throughout sustainable packaging communities. The topic was first introduced in the book Cradle to Cradle by Michael Braungart and William McDonough which explored the idea of reusing a material for as long as possible or even designing out waste. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) […]
Everything consumers purchase has an environmental footprint from sourced materials to the end user, or consumer. The main focus lately of the zero waste movement has been the end-of-life of a package. So we asked the experts, is the zero waste movement the solution to climate change? The zero waste movement is a global movement […]