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RSSSustainable Packaging: Right Products for Greener Living
GreenWerks | 
Jan 13th, 2012 | 
Today’s shoppers are increasingly mindful about how the packaging they buy affects the environment. In response, many companies are scaling back on packaging, providing eco-friendly labeling and offering biodegradable or reusable containers. If you want to be kinder to the environment when you shop, keep an eye out for the following eco-friendly items:
Refillable packaging
According to the EPA, America uses enough plastic wrap every year to cover Texas. Plenty of that plastic comes from environmentally unfriendly packaging, and avoiding unnecessary packaging is a crucial step toward an environmentally friendly way of life. Refillable packaging is a fantastic alternative that is offered in its simplest form as a glass bottle. A generation ago, buying milk or soda in reusable bottles was commonplace: then plastic cartons and aluminum cans became the norm. Luckily, a number of environmentally aware dairies and beverage companies across the country are now offering their products in reusable bottles. Utilizing glass bottle programs in your area is a great way to reduce the amount of waste you produce.
Recycled packaging
Recycled packing materials is another simple way to be kind to the environment. One of the easiest ways for companies to recycle materials is by using recycled newspaper to pack their products for shipping instead of Styrofoam peanuts. Those annoying little peanuts never fully biodegrade, and when they do break down they produce styrene, a substance that the World Health Organization has deemed a likely carcinogen and neurotoxin. When ordering products online or from a catalogue, ask companies about the materials they use in shipping. Many environmentally friendly companies are switching away from products like bubble wrap and foam peanuts, and those that aren’t making the switch need pressure from consumers to do so.
Eco labels
Eco labels are an easy-to-understand sustainability measurement displayed on environmentally friendly products. Eco-friendly labeling can be found on food and consumer products alike, and it can guide consumers toward environmentally smart choices. Shoppers sometimes think that eco labels are the same as labels indicating organic foods, but while there is some overlap between the two, eco labels cover a much wider range of products. Eco-friendly labeling can indicate organic, sustainably produced, low-emission, energy efficient, biodegradable or environmentally low-impact items. This type of labeling has been around since the 1970s, but it has exploded in popularity since the United Nations Earth Summit Conference of 1992.
Environmentally friendly printing
Products that use environmentally friendly printing in their labels and packaging are taking their commitment to the environment even further. Environmentally friendly printing may use paper with a high level of recycled materials, printing processes powered by alternative energy sources, non-toxic, naturally produced inks or a combination or all three. Alternative printing processes cut down on pollution, and the use of paper containing high levels of recycled material reduces the approximately 1 billion trees worth of paper that we throw out annually in the United States.
Keeping the environment in mind when you shop is a wonderful way to minimize your impact on the Earth. Try to choose reusable, recycled and environmentally friendly products, and you’ll be doing the planet, yourself and the next generation a big favor. Being green is everyone’s responsibility, but with the wealth of environmentally friendly products and labeling available today, it’s never been easier.
Jessica Wiener is an expert in environmentally friendly printing and environmentally friendly labeling. She writes for Lightninglabels.com.
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