Are You Sustainability-Savvy?
Posted by Mark Arzoumanian
Wal-Mart is in love with business sustainability. What's that, you say? Wal-Mart defines it as economic benefits derived from improve environmental and social outcomes. So why should you care? Well, as a paperboard package maker you already know that Wal-Mart purchases a HUGE amount of corrugated containers and folding cartons. But in the next three years it wants to reduce solid waste by 25 percent.
Of course that means fewer cartons and boxes. You might think that what you make is of great value and serves an important role and moving thousands of products safely from point A to point B. And you're right. But Wal-Mart looks at what you make as WASTE. And it wants to create zero waste.
According to Wal-Mart's Tyler Elm, who spoke at AF&PA's Paper Week earlier this month, the company want to "develop a sensing organization that's aware of the external business environment and able to incorporate this perspective into business decisions to create long-term value."
What does that mean for board converters? Hop on Wal-Mart's ship before it is already too far out in the sustainability sea. Be proactive with your current box buying customers, suggest ways to reduce the amount of packaging you provide. Do it now so that your customers can walk into Wal-Mart's corporate office and say, "Look what my packaging provider did for me. I want to keep him on my team."
posted by Paperboard Group @ 4/25/2006
2 comments
2 Comments:
Let's forget plastic packaging right now as plastic is too contentious at this time. (additives, PLA, TDPA, D2W, etc) Let's look at paper/cardboard packaging. (ie cutting of trees)
Sustainability should begin with selecting the most eco-friendly board/paper at the start. If more printers / packaging manufacturers were to offer or promote recycled instead of virgin, then you're starting off with a good base.
Recycled CCNB (clay coated newsback) from an eco-conscious recycled mill can be far better for the environment than that of a virgin SBS/SUS/Kraft pulp mill. The key is that the recycled mill must clean their water (takes energy, so they must offset this or use renewable energy).
IF comparing a virgin SBS/SUS/Kraft mill to an uneco-conscious recycled mill, then you also need to ask the question on if the virgin mill is harvesting trees from either Ancient Forests or Old Growth forests? (AFF or OFF are the new catch terminologies. Ancient Forest Friendly and Old growth Forest Friendly.)
Next question is whether the printer using vegetable or Soy based inks or not? Is the printer offsetting their CO2 emmisions? Refrain from using OPP Laminations and settle for UV or Aqueous coatings. Eliminate poly windows in favour (if you MUST use plastic) either BOPP or Acetate.
Yes, I agree with anyone reading this that the look of the package will not 'stand out' or will not 'wow' the assumed target audience in the 1.2 seconds that is required. I think what we need to do is aknowledge the fact that there are more savvy consumers (and they are growing in numbers daily) who are actively looking and inspecting the packaging to see what is 'green' and good for the environment and what is not.
Shelf space at store display level could be allocated for 'green' products / packaging. This would help consumers, and would show those companies unwilling to offer greener/sustainable packaging or products how unprofitable it really is to not care about the environment.
Bottom dollar loses hurt. It will get their attention faster and better than any governmental concession(s) or environmental groups ever could.
Foamboards are not recycled. Demand that printers and retailers use 100% recycled paperboard.
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