Our marketing director, Brad Shorr, and I are very different in many ways but one thing we have in common is a good appreciation of humor. With all the confusion, contradictions and misinformation in sustainable packaging, it is not always easy to find the humor in it but we work at it.

With the help of a very talented illustrator, Mark Hill, Brad and I created “Eco Ed”, a cartoon series about the guy we can all relate to, who wants to do the right thing for the environment but is often not sure what the right thing is. We showed the concept to Joe Angel of Summit Publishing and he immediately decided he wanted to make it a regular feature in their Packaging World magazine, beginning last April. (more…)

PACK EXPO International 2008 will be November 9-13, at McCormick Place in Chicago. We recently asked Joe Angel, Vice President and Publisher of Packaging World, about the show, especially in terms of sustainable packaging. This year’s show promises to be as good as ever, with green packaging perhaps topping the list as a key theme.

How is Pack Expo shaping up in terms of exhibitors and attendance?
From what I hear from PMMI, they are ahead of 2006 PEI pre-registrations. This is a good sign, particularly with the economy the way it is now. Bu it’s also a function of more total internet registrations, so only time will tell. The one consistent take-away I hear when speaking with consumer packaged goods companies (CPG’s) is that they feel they cannot afford to significantly reduce R&D…developing new or improved products, thus new packaging. PACK EXPO is a great place to see a lot of packaging ideas. While it is no secret companies are sending less people to events these days, the key people still attend and those that cannot attend will send someone or a buying team to the show or conference. (more…)