Did you know that today is Particularly Preposterous Packaging Day? Alliteration aside, there is a TON of really annoying packaging getting in the way of sustainability. (And here is a list of 12 great examples, just in case you needed a refresher.) To combat the problem, we're rounding up a list of our favorite smart packaging resources:
- In November 2011, the Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) released its, “Global Protocol on Packaging Sustainability (GPPS).” The 74-page guide on packaging sustainability not only aims to help companies reduce their carbon footprint but also serves as a step in the right direction to increase efficiency and effective communication by creating a common language that consists of a framework and a measurement system. (Read our complete review here.)
- “Cut the Wrap! Packaging Waste and Strategies for Mitigation and Reduction” is one of our most popular white papers, and for good reason. Packaging waste is an issue that affects almost all businesses, from food and beverage to electronics. Unfortunately most of the materials used in packaging is discarded in ever-growing landfills or burnt, causing severe pollution. This paper explores the various ways businesses can reduce or even eliminate their packaging waste, make smarter and more sustainable packaging choices, and utilize packaging alternatives.
- The Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) is an industry working group dedicated to a more robust environmental vision for packaging. Through strong member support, an informed and science-based approach, supply chain collaborations and continuous outreach, SPC endeavors to build packaging systems that encourage economic prosperity and a sustainable flow of materials. The SPC makes available a broad range of publications and resources to further the vision and ever-evolving implementation of sustainable packaging.
- COMPASS (Comparative Packaging Assessment) is online design software that allows packaging designers and engineers to assess the human and environmental impacts of their package designs using a life cycle approach. COMPASS helps packaging designers make more informed material selections and design decisions by providing quick visual guidance on a common set of environmental indicators. COMPASS provides consistently modeled data sets for USA, Canada and Europe as well as tailored for materials and processes used for packaging to allow reliable apples-to-apples comparisons of multiple scenarios. In addition, regionalized solid waste modeling provides a waste profile of each scenario to help understand the end-of-life (EoL) implications of packaging designs.
- “Balance: Efficiency or Sustainability?“ by Katherine O’Dea is a great article on the current "sustainable packaging" debate. "A couple of weeks ago, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released a report titled, “Sustainable Packaging, Myth or Reality.” It seems, however, the report doesn’t really debate the myth or reality question, but jumps right to the conclusion that “sustainable packaging is dead” and is being replaced by “efficient packaging.” How fortunate that would be for the “business as usual” crowd if it were true. But, having worked in the sustainability field for 20 years with a good deal of focus on sustainability in packaging for the past five years, I think PwC got it wrong." (Read the whole article here.)
What are some of your favorite sustainable packaging resources? Leave a comment or join the conversation with SSC President Jennifer Woofter on Twitter (@jenniferwoofter).