crazybikerchick

In the case of glass versus plastic there are tradeoffs. Glass is generally more recyclable but its much heavier than plastic, which if goods are being shipped a long distance makes a huge difference in fuel consumed. There is also breakage to contend with.

Jose Mandez

I've been car-free for 51 days now (just as a short-term experiment), and I think that my garbage output is probably about the same as it has always been. I have a side-room that has 5-6 large garbage sacks full of recyclables, I'll probably fill up the ol' car with those and take them to the recycling station, as I don't feel like making several 30 mile trips to the recycling station by bike just to recycle stuff. In general, the only thing I've really cut down on is purchasing liquids such as milk, etc, which might reduce my garbage output by some (because I'm buying things like powdered milk, which are probably packaged more economically). Of course, the more bicycle riding I do, the more stuff I buy for my bicycle, and bicycle goods are packaged just like everything else is, so this might make up for the more economically packaged goods I am buying. I also tend to still buy a lot of goods over the internet as well (which are often over-packaged).

Roody

I'm going to get a lot of flak for this, but I think the company that has done the most to reduce packaging is Walmart. They are insisting that their suppliers start coming up with lighter and more compact packaging innovations. Walmart says they're concerned about the environment, but I think thay also realize that they're paying a lot of money to ship that excessive packaging between their distribution centers and stores.

gerv 

Walmart has over the last few years made some startling initiatives to "green up" their product mix.

Just visit their sustainability site. https://instoresnow.walmart.com/Sustainability.aspx

This tells me they see reducing packaging as a cutting edge approach to buying and selling.

(Ok, I don't work for Walmart and I don't know if they have health benefits for their employees...)

curbtender

Come'on, Walmart? They sell so much low end junk that gets temp-use then is piled in the trash that I think they are in cahoots with waste management to make them sustainable.

gerv 

Lol... yes they do sell a lot of cheap, useless crap too. Marketing vs reality perhaps.

wahoonc

I can assure you it isn't for any altruistic reason, there has to be profit involved somewhere. WM doesn't do anything unless it is going to make them money. But with their size they could actually do good if they wanted to. I saw an article that claimed that WM could raise the price of every product it sells by 5 cents and would generate enough profit to pay all of the health insurance costs of all it's employees. But instead they choose to under pay their people and force them onto public assistance, and they aren't the only one, many large national corporations do this as a matter of course.

Aaron

wahoonc

Cool...conspiracy theory

I agree; a lot of what they sell borders on single use, disposable, sad part is that includes things like toasters and irons! as well as many of their other small appliances.

I have an iron that had lasted over 15 years of fairly heavy use. My wife, in her innocence bought a very similar model at WM, it didn't work properly. I pulled the plate off and the elements in it were half the size of the ones in the old one. Took it back and bought a much better model from somewhere else.

Aaron