Most if not all companies are looking to go green with their packaging nowadays. Helping the environment is simply one benefit of using eco-friendly packaging but the truth is that using eco-friendly packaging products requires fewer materials. This is more sustainable and also gives better results.

Green packaging employs environmentally sensitive methods as a massive amount of energy is used up in the production of traditional packaging materials like plastic, paper, and cardboard. Usually, the source of the energy is fossil fuels that contribute millions of tons of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere while the waste packaging material ends up in landfills or water bodies.

How can Green Packaging Benefit the Environment and Economy?

Eco-friendly packaging is a recent phenomenon which has become a rapidly growing trend. By shifting to green materials you can meet or anticipate your customer’s demands for eco-friendly suppliers. According to a recent study, 73% of people reported that their companies give extra attention and importance to packaging sustainability as lighter packaging reduces the packaging and transporting costs.

10 Advantages of Green Packaging

1. Reduces Your Carbon Footprint

Eco-friendly packaging is better for the environment as it is made of recycled waste material which reduces the consumption of resources. Don’t focus only on your financial goals only but try to meet your environmental goals as well.

2. Easy Disposal

The type of packaging you use may vary but it should either be compostable or recyclable. If some of your customers or co-workers happen to have compost facilities then you can turn the waste packaging into compost. If the packaging is clearly labeled recyclable packaging then it can be thrown into your recycling bin for re-use.

3. Biodegradable

Green packaging not only reduces your carbon footprint and environmental impact but is also beneficial after it has served its purpose as the packaging materials are biodegradable.

4. Versatile and Flexible

Eco-friendly packaging is pretty versatile and can be re-used and re-purposed in most major industries that involve packaging. Whatever you are looking to package right from meats to electronic devices, there will be an eco-friendly type of packaging that will meet their needs and reduce costs.

5. Improves Your Brand Image

Eco-friendly packaging creates a good impression of your company as this displays that you care about the environment as well as depicting that you are a responsible company. A recent study discovered that 78% of customers between the ages of 18-72 felt more positive about a product whose packaging was made up of recycled items.

6. No Harmful Plastics

Traditional packaging methods and materials contribute to global warming and other environmental issues. Using eco-friendly packaging allows you to reduce the amount of plastic that you use. Using non- sustainable petrochemical resources which are a part of all traditional plastics requires a lot of energy. Petrochemical products usually tend to litter public places and have been linked with health problems when used with food.

7. Reducing Shipping Costs

Reducing your shipping costs reduces the amount of raw materials that are used to package the products and less packing materials leads to less effort being expended.

8. Can Help Save Money

Paper shredders are a great way to properly discard of any waste packaging, making it easier for the packaging to bio-degrade much faster. Industrial shredders are a great option if you are looking to shred high volumes of your waste packaging fast.

9. Expands Your Customer Base

The demand for sustainable eco-friendly products grows everyday according to several global studies. All adults who were born after 1990 prefer to go eco-friendly and sustainability when it comes to making their buying decisions. Going green will attract more customers that will keep on returning depending on your attitude to the environment.

10. It Can Be Reduced, Reused and Recycled Sustainably

Most of the materials can be categorized in the 3 basic R’s of sustainability.

• Reduce: This focuses on using thinner and tougher materials which can do the same job with fewer materials.
• Reuse: There are a lot more products available that encourage their reuse such as boxes with a special coating to make them tougher. You can use the economics of taking advantage of reuse capabilities.
• Recycle: A lot more products are being manufactured with a larger percentage of them being made up of recycled materials which can be recycled easily as well and have been labeled as such. Most manufacturers do this as it allows them to minimize the impact of price increases on new or virgin materials.

The green movement has led to a wave of innovative new eco-friendly alternatives to traditional packaging materials. From recyclable plastics to biodegradable containers, there is seemingly no end to the options available to the environmentally conscious business.  Here are Eight Eco Friendly Packaging Alternatives For Your Business Shipping Needs to consider.

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Author Bio

Erich Lawson is very passionate about the environment and is an advocate of effective recycling. He writes on a wide array of topics to inform readers on how modern recycling equipment can be used by industries to reduce monthly wastage bills and increase recycling revenue. You can learn more about environment saving techniques by visiting his blog Northern California Compactors, Inc blog.