Packaging Supplies And Going Green

Everybody today is trying to turn green. We are all trying to make a positive impact on the environment. Even packaging supplies are now becoming environmentally friendly products, and quite rightly so. Packaging supplies are used in absolutely everything and as soon as they have been used, they become trash, with a huge impact on the environment. Luckily, now, there are eco-friendly materials to make packaging. Governments are actively supporting this by subsidizing greener products and manufacturing processes. Making packaging materials out of recycled materials is an important step, as is ensuring that the materials can be recycled again after they have been used.

There is a rapid growth in the eco industry, with everybody calling for a reduction on materials that are hazardous to the environment. Everything now has to be created by safe and natural products so that materials, technology and process solutions have less of a negative impact on the environment. The packaging industry as well as product manufacturers is following the guidelines set in the Environmental Technologies Action Plan to make sure that the way they produce packaging supplies. New ideas are developed on a daily basis and they include such innovative ideas as using recycled materials, preferably 100% recycled; using sustainable materials such as corn, soya, bamboo and cotton; using materials that have been organically farmed such as organic corn or organic bamboo; using materials that are biodegradable like unbleached paper and clam shells; using materials that can be recycled after use such as corrugated cardboard paper and glass; using reusable products such as glass bottles; and being fully energy-efficient throughout the full manufacturing process, for example by powering the factories with solar or wind power and using materials that reduce the carbon footprint. Packaging materials with the biggest environmental impact are, of course, polystyrene packing peanuts. These are being replaced more and more with biodegradable starch based packing peanuts, recycled papers and other green packing materials.

Most businesses now understand the importance of going green and actively implement a range of processes to reduce their carbon emissions. This is true for both the systems and processes they use, but also in the behaviors of their staff. Management should always lead by example, regardless of the industry they are employed in. When working in the packaging supplies industry, for example, they should be actively involved in the creation of strategic action plans to change the way the materials are produced, but also in the overall behavior of the factories and plants, for example by making simple changes such as fully powering off machinery that is not in use, switching to energy-efficient lighting systems, driving hybrid cars and organizing a carpool.

One company I recommend for packaging supplies is Omnipak. They have new green items on the market such as the biodegradable starch based packing peanuts that total dissolve in water. They also offer a green line of janitorial supplies such as environmentally safe chemicals and paper products.