packaging – Green Anglicans

April 5 – Zero Plastic Packaging

Leave a Comment / Plastic Fast 2019 / Ncumisa / April 5, 2019

They saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2: 11 When online shopping was young, it was hoped it would be better for the environment than traditional retail – people driving themselves to the shops. A van could take the place of 20 or 30 car trips. A warehouse uses less energy than a store with all its display space. However, it is becoming more complex, instead of going to a mall and buying all the things we need, and combining with a trip to pick up kids from school, now we buy many individual items all from different places. We also send things back. In online fashion retail, 25% of goods are now returned For instance in the UK transport is now the biggest source of emissions and van traffic is growing faster than any other type of vehicle. Online shopping is part of that problem Not only are we increasing van trips, we are creating mountains of packaging. Online retail in the US grew by 16% last year. We love the speed and convenience. We love the ‘just-got-a-gift’ feeling of boxes turning up on our doorstep. We love Amazon too – one fan back in 2014 remarking, “I’m in a monogamous relationship with #amazonprime.” But love, as they say, is blind. And as consumers, we turn a blind eye to the environmental cost of online retail, when it comes to packaging. About 165 billion packages are shipped in the US each year, with the cardboard used roughly equating to more than 1 billion trees . Retailers also want to ensure that goods arrive in perfect condition – and that can result in over-packaging. The average box is “dropped 17 times”, So that’s why you can receive a small package inside a relatively large box filled with “air-bags”. It means that the retailer is literally effective, but wasteful. Companies are beginning to respond to consumer pressure – some start up companies offer package free and Amazon is offering a ‘frustration free” packaging option https://www.amazon.com/b/?&node=5521637011 https://makewealthhistory.org/2018/02/26/reducing-emissions-from-online-shopping/ https://www.forbes.com/sites/jonbird1/2018/07/29/what-a-waste-online-retails-big-packaging-problem/#61602cfa371d

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March 21 – Say No To Plastic Packaging

This bread of ours was warm when we packed it at home on the day we left to come to you. But now see how dry and moldy it is. Joshua 9 v 12 1. Bread bags Whoever coined the expression “the best thing since sliced bread” must have worked for the plastics industry.. Unfortunately, once a loaf is sliced, it does not remain fresh for very long, unless air is kept from it. In the 1930s, sliced loaves came wrapped in wax paper (and later cellophane) with the folded-over ends sealed with glued-on labels. This kept the bread fresh until the package was opened, but then it was not easily resealed. The polyethylene bag [developed in the mid 50’s] clearly solved that problem, because it could be closed, opened and re-closed easily with a tie. Twist ties are often coated with PVC, one of the worst plastics. Besides twist ties, many bread bags today are held shut by plastic bread clips, those flat little squares with a hole in the middle Take a reusable cloth bag to the bakery and ask to have my (unsliced!) bread placed directly inside it. Bring the bread home. Slice a piece and eat it. Yum! Return the remaining unsliced loaf to the cloth bag and store it in an airtight tin. 2. Boxes not bags If you hunt around and are prepared to change your brand, you can find boxes instead of plastic bags for many items such a laundry detergents, cereals etc. Make sure to tell the company why you are no longer buying their product, post your new choice of product on social media and tag the company (@company) to tell them you have changed to a different supplier.