Why is Eco-friendly Packaging Important?

Why is eco-friendly packaging important? You’ll be surprised to learn how much it can positively impact our environment.

It’s important to demand more sustainability from the businesses we buy from. Here’s what you should know about eco-friendly packaging.

Why is eco-friendly packaging good?

One benefit of eco-friendly packaging is its easily disposable. Most sustainable packaging is made of recyclable materials.

That causes less waste of natural resources. A common ingredient used in making eco-friendly packaging is soy ink.

Traditional ink has high levels of VOC, which harms the environment. Soy ink has less VOC, which means less harm to the environment.

Sustainable packaging is also generally allergy and toxin-free. You can have far less worries about whether it’s harming your well-being.

Business owners can benefit greatly by switching to eco-friendly packaging. Today’s consumers, particularly millennials, care a lot about environmental issues.

They choose to buy and support companies that help in those efforts. Businesses that choose eco-friendly packaging help the environment while building a positive brand image.

Sustainable packaging is also less bulky and requires less material. The packages are light and take up less space. That makes them more affordable to ship.

Lastly, using eco-friendly packaging reduces the use of harmful plastic packaging.

Why is plastic packaging bad?

Most packaging is made of plastic. It’s one of the most wasteful and harmful materials in the world.

Most plastic packaging ends up in landfills or in the environment. Supply Chain Solutions Center found that out of 9.2 billion tons of plastic, only 9% of it is recycled.

Every plastic that’s ever been made is still on the earth today. That’s because plastic isn’t biodegradable. So, what are the consequences of plastic on our planet?

A major consequence is that it ends up in our ocean. Our marine life gets killed because they mistake plastics for food or get entangled in them.

Plastic pollution has killed turtles, fishes, whales, and even seabirds.

Perhaps even more concerning is that it’s been getting into our tap water. Chemicals used to produce plastic materials are carcinogenic. Needless to say, it can be very harmful to us.

Even destroying plastic does some harm to our environment. When plastic packaging is burned, it increases carbon emissions, which is what warms our planet.

We’ve all seen the consequences with the weather. Places are experiencing more droughts, heavier downfalls, and more hurricanes.

It’s critical that we all find ways to use plastic packaging less.

Is cardboard packaging eco-friendly?

While cardboard is recyclable, there are problems with using the material. Cardboard is made in paper mills.

Chlorine-based bleaches are used to create the packaging from wood. It results in toxic emissions getting in our air, water and soil.

Paper mills also use a significant amount of water and energy. In Canada, the paper industry is the largest consumer of water in the country.

It’s also the fifth largest consumer of energy in the entire world. It’s arguably more damaging to make cardboard than it is to make plastic.

Nonetheless, unlike plastic, cardboard packaging is biodegradable and breaks down faster.

What are some sustainable packaging options?

 It’ll probably blow your mind to know these green packaging options. Here are a few alternatives you can use next time you ship something.

• Mushroom packaging

Mushrooms are for more than just munching on now. Mushroom roots are fused with agricultural waste to create the material.

This packaging option is mostly used for shipping smaller items. It’s one of the fastest biodegrading materials.

You can compost mushroom packaging and it’ll quickly breakdown to non-toxic organic matter.

• Seaweed packaging

A substance known as agar is taken from seaweed to make packages. The idea was developed by a team of designers.

They won a design award for using it as a packaging material. It’s expected to be one of the next big sustainable packaging alternatives.

• Eco-friendly plastic

Certain items need to be shipped in materials that are solidly built. It’s the reason why many businesses still use plastic packaging.

It can support heavy items and not break. Thankfully, there are now eco-friendly plastic options.

You can use plastic made of organic raw materials. They work great for providing cushioning when packing items.

You can also use packaging made of recycled plastic. It will support heavier items just the same as regular plastic packaging.

Use sustainable packaging

Now you know why sustainable packaging is good for the planet. Take action by buying from companies that use sustainable packaging.

Purchase green packaging to use when shipping your products. All of this will make a difference in protecting our environment.