Canadians produce more garbage per capita than any other nation on earth. Plastic packaging and bags account for some of the most damaging environmental hazards. The great Pacific garbage patch is a gyre of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean that has now reached epic proportions and is estimated to be twice the size of the US.
Many consumers would like to change the way in which we create and dispose of packaging and their concerns are being heard by some eco-friendly companies. Here are some innovative ways to package goods that are kinder to the environment.
In the US, over 60 million plastic bottles are disposed of every day and only 14% of these are recycled. The 360 paper bottle was designed by Brand Image to reduce this appalling daily garbage toll. The paper bottle is made from bamboo and palm fibers so its 100% recyclable.
Lee Jeans hits it out of the park with this ‘Never Wasted’ recycled paper bag from Happy Designs which can be transformed into a board game with dice, a calendar, desk organizer, CD sleeve, pencil holder, bookmark, wallet, and so much more!
The one thing I hate about getting take out is the amount of garbage it produces. With all those containers paced in plastic bags, you end up with a mountain of cardboard, polystyrene and condiment packages. Now an innovative design means you can separate items inside each tier with cardboard dividers to make a complete meal and stack meals on top of each other for group orders.
Newton Running, based in Colorado, are trying to get a leg up with this innovative shoebox design. The box is made from 100% recycled materials and is molded to the shape of the shoes to eliminate the need for tissue paper. They also wanted to get rid of the wads of paper that are crammed into the shoe to help them keep their shape, so they filled one shoe with a complimentary pair of socks and the other with a reusable shoe bag. Kind on the environment; kind to consumers.
Polish designer Maja Szczypek has created the ultimate in eco-friendly packaging for eggs. Here hay is molded into shape using a heat press for the Happy Egg Company. Once the eggs have been used, the packaging can disposed of into your compost heap or in your green bin.
This interesting creation was designed by Ivan Maximov for Mug Pub, a string of Russian restaurants where patrons can order take-out beer. Both the paper cups and cardboard tray are made from recycled paper. Both products are durable so you don’t have to worry about spills.
