Sustainable Packaging

Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen! I hope you all are having a great day. While you're here visiting the Business Discussion Board, I wanted to share an article I read on the QuickBooks Blog. This post goes over alternative packaging options that are a little more friendly to the environment. Let's take a look.

 

Recycled cardboard and packing paper
Cardboard is pretty a pretty standard packaging material and one of the most recycled materials as well. However, "if sourced unsustainably, cardboard and packing paper can still harm the environment." Be on the lookout for post-consumer, post-industrial, FSC-certified cardboard.

Biodegradable packing peanuts
Think Styrofoam, but... not. Soft and protective but made from recycled materials that can be easily broken down. Everything Styrofoam has to offer ,except the bad stuff.

Biodegradable air pillows
These packing pillows are made with a biodegradable film. This may be the most favorable option because, "manufacturing air pillows requires less energy than manufacturing packing peanuts, creating fewer greenhouse gas emissions. And because air pillows weigh virtually nothing, they won’t add to your shipping costs."

Organic matter
Taking it one step beyond cardboard and plastics, there are organic material options available for your small business packaging. A few examples include cornstarch, seaweed, mushroom packaging, as well as plantable options infused with seeds! How cool is that?

When you make the change to more sustainable packaging there a few other points to keep in mind:

This is also a great opportunity to educate your customers about using more sustainable products and recycling. Check out the full article linked above for even more info. How are you making your business more eco-friendly? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.