Even if you are not a regular reader and subscriber to this blog, please accept this as sustainable challenge #1. How quickly and easily can you spot a product or package that that is, let’s call it, “less than innocent” in terms of greenness? You have an opportunity to be the CSI (Crime Scene Investigation) investigator for this possible case of packaging sustainability crime.

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We have blocked out the name of the company to protect the guilty but the company name is really not important. If we look around we can spot countless examples like this on a daily basis. This company is shipping their annual catalog in the box that is shown. Ironically on the catalog cover they boast about offering hundreds of “eco friendly products”. But what about the packaging that is designed to get this catalog in the hands of their eco minded customers?

To a certain extent we agree that green is often in the eye of the beholder but we’ve spotted some things that are very likely wrong and some that merit further investigation. Jot down some observations and questions before you read the rest of this story. (more…)

Somewhere along the line, corrugated (and chipboard) partitions fell out of favor as an inner packing material. A lot of it had to do with a desire to reduce corrugated usage and unit cost – both good objectives.

However, corrugated partitions can sometimes reduce overall packaging usage and unit cost, while providing a number of other important sustainable benefits. (more…)

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Most people know Carol Moseley Braun as the former US Senator from Illinois or as former Ambassador to New Zealand, but for the last 3 years she has been busy building her company, Ambassador Organics, into an industry leader in the field of biodynamic food products.

DS: Ambassador Braun, please give us a little background on how you became involved in this new and unique area of foods.

CMB: I set out to restore a family farm as a biodynamic organic farm, and circumstances morphed that initiative into another one – Ambassador Organics – a food company specializing in biodynamic organic products. Biodynamic farming is the most sustainable agricultural system, using only on-farm inputs and natural herbs and farm products to heal and restore the soil. It is the original organic, and can be relied upon to produce Grade A, authentic organic food.

DS: Please explain the differences and similarities between organic and biodynamic agriculture and the food they produce.

CMB: Organic is the starting point, and biodynamic goes the extra mile in requiring attention to the growth processes and inputs. We believe it produces a more nutritious food product, and it has been referred to as “real nutrition that doesn’t cost the earth”.

DS: You know my wife and I are tremendous fans of your delicious tea, but can you please tell us about some of the other products you are currently taking to market?

CMB: Thank you, we are proud of the taste profile of Ambassador Biodynamic organic teas. We also have 3 types of coffee, 10 different spices, and an organic olive oil. (more…)

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The late sportscaster Howard Cosell would often refer to well seasoned athletes as “veterans of many campaigns”. I guess except for the athletic part, that description could easily apply to guys like me who will soon be attending our 17th PACK EXPO show on November 9th through 13th.

This year’s PACK EXPO is expected to feature 2,000 exhibitors and over 45,000 attendees. (The show is held every other year, in Chicago’s McCormick Place.) It is a chance for many of us to catch up with old friends we rarely get to see, as well as a unique opportunity to review the newest innovations in packaging products and especially packaging equipment.

I personally am very excited to attend this year because it promises to be the greenest PACK EXPO ever. For those unable to be there, we plan to provide you with show updates on this blog featuring the newest and hottest green packaging products.

For those able to attend, especially for those new to the show, I offer some basic, practical advice to make PACK EXPO as productive and enjoyable as possible. (more…)

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It would be a beautiful and greener world if these two goals could be met as one and the same, but unfortunately life and being green are not that simple. So as a business person, serving a predominantly green customer base, which way do you go?

Survey after survey indicates consumers are indeed willing to give up some degree of convenience in exchange for greener packaging but are they willing to forgo safety, security, freshness, or even product cleanliness? In most cases the answer is no, especially if there is a good option available. There is indeed a limit to how much most consumers are willing to sacrifice for the environment.

At the risk of further angering packing peanut manufacturers, a perfect example of this dilemma is foam peanuts, shells, or any other shape of this controversial product. I recently met with a customer who proudly proclaimed he was using an eco-friendly foam peanut product that would degrade in water. In over thirty years I have never won an argument with a customer so there was no way I would debate the merits of the product, or the science behind it. I am sure his void fill product will indeed dissolve if exposed to water, and I have no idea on the content of the watery goo that is sure to result in the process or where it winds up in the environment. (more…)

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The world of sustainability is obviously much larger than just packaging and we work hard to develop relationships with companies able to provide answers for our customers and friends. TerraLocke Sustainability Consultants is a company that focuses of sustainability from an operational and facilities perspective. They are a leader in their field and are well known for their thorough Sustainability Audits. There is much confusion and misinformation on greenhouse gases and the resulting carbon footprint so I asked TerraLocke co-founder and managing director, Peter Locke to bring some clarity to this important area of sustainability.

DS: Why might our readers be interested in conducting a greenhouse gas inventory for their business?

PL: There are a few reasons. One, they want to use the inventory results to help identify potential risk areas within their business. Two, companies want to gain experience conducting inventories so they are prepared for when potential federal legislation requires them to do so. Three, companies might be able to make money trading greenhouse gas (GHG) credits on a GHG trading market such as the Chicago Climate Exchange. Four, management feels it is necessary or advantageous to report their emissions to their shareholders or potential investors. (more…)

One of the sure signs that you are getting old is when you realize you unintentionally and often make references to characters and things that were popular long before younger people you may be speaking to were even born. That may be the case with the above title.

When I was a kid, one of the most popular Western series on television (black and white no less) was a series called “Have Gun – Will Travel”. That incredibly cool line (for that time) was neatly printed on the lead character’s business card indicating he was a gun for hire. The lead character was known by the single name Paladin and I think he may have started the one name thing, inspiring others like Madonna, Cher or Sting. As I recall his fee was $1,000, which must have been an enormous amount of money back then, so I doubt he had steady work but always managed to find at least one client in desperate need of his services in time for each weekly, exciting episode. (more…)

Most industries have a standard for measuring or describing the construction of a particular material. However, in the corrugated industry, there are two standards – the Mullen Test and the Edge Crush Test. This leads to quite a bit of confusion in the marketplace.

The Mullen Test, which has been used for many years, tests the bursting strength of corrugated board – how much pressure is required to rupture the wall of a piece of corrugated material. Boxes conforming to the Mullen Test standard are identified as 200# Test, 275# Test, etc. The higher the number, the stronger the corrugated box.

The Edge Crush Test, which was developed in the 1990′s, measures the stacking strength of corrugated board – how much top to bottom pressure a box can withstand before crushing. Boxes conforming to the Edge Crush Test standard are identified as 32ECT, 44 ECT, etc. Again, the higher the number, the stronger the corrugated box. (more…)

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Unprinted newsprint is (or was – keep reading) widely used for industrial void fill, surface protection, and wrapping applications. You’ve probably seen it at one time or another when you moved. Moving companies use newsprint extensively, mainly in sheeted form, to protect your belongings before boxing them up.

Did you ever wonder where this newsprint comes from?

A Good Green Story …
For the most part, industrial newsprint is trim and waste generated by paper mills as they run newspaper-grade newsprint. I was in Montreal once getting a tour of an Abitibi newsprint mill, and the tour guide took us to a building that must have been 750,000 square feet. He opened an immense sliding door and we saw that the building was packed floor to ceiling with trim newsprint rolls — big, heavy rolls, 40″ – 50″ diameter, anywhere from 12″ – 84″ wide. (more…)