Now more than ever, doing our bit to reduce environmental impact is essential. With single use plastic packaging having such a detrimental effect on both our landfill sites and local wildlife, finding ways to improve our packaging can go a long way. For businesses looking to make changes for the better, we delve into 4 simple ways that you can switch to more environmentally friendly types of packaging.
Wave goodbye to plastic bags
Although the fairly recent carrier bag tax has led to great improvements in the amount of plastic bags used, there is still a long way to go. Switching to printed cotton bags or paper bags is a much less impactful approach which still provides your customers with the convenience of carrying their new purchase around. Paper bags which have been made using recycled materials and can be recycled again afterwards have a much shorter lifespan than their plastic counterparts yet have similar characteristics. Alternatively, offering fabric bags as a reusable option which can be kept in customers’ handbags or car will mean it is not necessary to need a new carrier bag each and every time, a great step that each and every one of us can make.
Make use of your production waste
Often we cannot see the potential that lies right around us. Reusing and recycling our existing waste is not only a great way to reduce the amount of packaging we need to use, but even frees up space by minimising the amount of waste that needs to be collected. An industrial shredder can tear up any cardboard or paper you have leftover which makes a superb way to keep orders safe. By filling up your orders with these shredded pieces, your customers order has an added layer of protection to prevent damage during the transit process which they can simply dispose of it into their household recycling facilities.
Source more sustainable materials
When it comes to finding the best types of packaging for your products, making more environmentally friendly decisions can go a long way. Having an understanding of the way your supplier works and where they source their materials from will help you find a trustworthy supplier that you can count on. High quality biodegradable materials are more accessible nowadays, helping businesses switch to packaging that can be easily broken down once it has served its purpose.
Train others on the best approaches
Now that you have done your part, let others know how they can do theirs. Whether that be educating employees or providing customers with information on how best to dispose of their excess packaging from their order, informing others can increase awareness of more sustainable practices. Printing information on your packaging with disposal instructions will ensure all recipients are on the same page and can get rid of their excess packaging in the most environmentally friendly way. Similarly, running training sessions with your staff members to teach them how to separate waste from recyclable goods and how to reduce emissions can take your business to the next level.
Ayesha completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and started her career as a College Lecturer in 2013. Today, she’s a happy mom of 2 Kids in the field of digital marketing. She loves reading books, spending time with her family, and making delicious food for her husband.
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