familyman

I have become increasingly aware of Man’s impact on our planet, as I think most of us have. But what are we actually doing? I recycle. We have, as a company (with the help of the employees), started an initiative to recycle the majority of our recyclable waste. Aluminum cans, plastics, and paper are all separated into their own containers for easy pickup by their respective recycling programs. As a packaging design company, we have always used a great deal of paper and corrugated cardboards and consequently produce a great deal of waste. (A “great deal” as far as we are concerned, but nothing on the scale of long-run manufacturers.) Since day one, the company has had a deal with the local AARP to pick up our waste paper materials for their recycling program. It’s a good deal for both parties: we don’t have to pay for a special pick up and they get more materials to recycle and earn money for their organization. We have recently also purchased a new printer that allows us to print directly to the packaging substrates; (1) reducing the amount of materials used in the process: (2) allowing the final production pieces to be completely recyclable.

So after we each get done cleaning our own houses, so to speak, what else can we do? We can go to city council meetings (and participate in Federal initiatives) and make sure our town is participating in programs and making sure all their process meet certain standards. Simply by speaking up or asking questions, an individual can make another individual think, that individual affects others and eventually a difference is made.*

What more can be done? Think of the things you buy every day. How much material is wasted by packaging all that air in a bag of chips? How many trees were killed to make those AT&T cell phone bills? How much smaller can that box of dried noodles be if the noodles were straight instead of curly? Why is that 2-pack of DVDs wrapped in plastic twice? You get the idea, right?

Have you ever written a company about one of their products? I have. I have NEVER written a letter to a company about their product and been ignored. Companies (most of them anyway) take their consumers’ opinions into account HEAVILY on a daily basis. They have complicated charts and graphs and 3d prospective models and all kinds of garbage telling them what their customers think of their products. So why not contribute directly to that data?

I encourage everyone to think about the things they buy, the stories they read and the moves made by the companies that make the stuff they use. For example; I get newsletters about sustainability and environmental issues and one of them contained a short piece about a test that Universal Studios has begun in their Canadian markets. As I read the story, it occurred to me: Why is this a test? There is no reason Universal can’t just MAKE the change happen everywhere. All they have to do is pull the trigger and it’s done. Bang! …and their packaging is a new format across the board and they are making a much smaller environmental footprint immediately.

What I ask you to do is write the companies that gladly take your money and tell them that you can take your money somewhere else if they don’t step up. The letter below is a short message I sent to Universal (using their website) to let them know that I think an across-the-board change is the way to go. If you think the same way, copy/paste (and modify to your liking) the text below and send it to them as well. Be nice… ALWAYS… and express to these corporations that the planet is important to you and it should be important to them. Besides, who will buy their DVDs if we are all dead from pollution or drowned by polar ice water?

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I just read a short article about your testing of a new eco-friendly packaging effort in Canada for the Evan Almighty and Surf’s Up DVD releases. I applaud the effort and encourage you to do more of that sort of thing as a corporation.

My only problem/concern is: why test it? Why not just DO IT… ACROSS THE BOARD? If the consumer wants to buy your product, they will. Put it in a sleeve that provides enough protection during shipping and merchandising, and deal with the retailers to reduce pilfering.

Similar efforts have been made in software packaging (although much more could be done) and sales have never suffered as a result (see Halo 3 sales). I just can’t see the logic of “testing” an eco-friendly initiative. People who want your product will buy it. People who might be “on the fence” could possibly be swayed to purchase if they see a REAL effort to reduce environmental impact.

Again, I applaud your efforts and sincerely hope that you make the environment a top priority across your entire product line. I can’t wait to see more of your product on the shelves of retailers… taking up MUCH less space.

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* While all the links provided are very “marketing centric” you could easily replace “product” or “service” with “the environment” and understand the power that simply talking about the environment can have.