I often hear funny stories, and this one about eco-friendly packaging is undoubtedly one of them.
Have you ever been in a situation when you think, does this person really get the gist of what it means to be eco-friendly? (Or anything else that you may be discussing).
Recently a friend of mine who owns a promotional product company told me how bizarre the whole eco-friendly is. They have a beautiful pen they sell. This pen is made with eco-friendly material like bamboo and recycled cardboard. How cool is that? But wait, unless my friend tells the manufacturer specifically not to, each pen is wrapped in plastic. Huh? Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the ‘eco-friendly’?
So let’s see – plastic … eco-friendly?
Plastic is a by-product of the oil industry, and there is no way that it is eco-friendly no matter what the industry tells you. The only “friendly” thing would be if the packaging were made from recycled plastic, but it would eventually find its way into the landfill, so what’s the point.
We see it all the time, especially in supermarkets. Who hasn’t seen the cucumber tightly wrapped in plastic film? Or the capsicum in packs of two or three? Then there are the halves of vegetables such as cauliflower or, and this is my pet peeve, half a pumpkin. The problem with the pumpkin is taking the plastic off. It’s sucked on so tight; one has to be very vigilant in getting all the bits because, through my experience, it doesn’t come off in one go.
Obviously, I am fully aware of the ‘why’… doesn’t mean I like it. Wherever possible, I choose fruit and veg that are loose, and the leftover pumpkin gets cooked, mashed and frozen so I can use it for sauces or soups.
Sadly plastic is very much a part of our world; however, some amazing alternatives are being invented, which gives me hope that maybe one day we will be plastic-free.
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