Shiny new products are coveted by consumers, but they quickly wear out, become obsolete or outlive their usefulness. Disposed goods are then donated to charity, stashed in some storage unit, or tossed in the trash. But some companies and craftsmen have explored another option with creativity and brio: Turn the stuff into something else you can sell.
Here we cite seven examples of merchants doing just that. We found quite a few of our fun specimens on
Etsy, which seems to be a hotbed of solo artisans and small teams of dreamers producing delightful, one-of-a-kind, sustainable goods.
From Snack Wrappers to Snazzy Totes
You might think that once you're done with a snack wrap or juice pouch, that's it. But you could just as easily collect those items and send them to
TerraCycle in Trenton New Jersey. There, they make all sorts of nifty items such as
tote bags from CapriSun pouches and wrappers from Doritos and Lays bags.
"We work with about 40 different kinds of products and packaging," says Lauren Taylor, director of U.S. public relations. "Some of the more interesting ones are cigarette butts we can recycle into industrial uses, such as palettes. We also have a plant caddy that's available at Target that's made from drink pouches." Another cool form of recycling: They've taken some of that money and donated more than $6.6 million to charity.
Shiny new products are coveted by consumers, but they quickly wear out, become obsolete or outlive their usefulness. Disposed goods are then donated to charity, stashed in some storage unit, or tossed in the trash. But some companies and craftsmen have explored another option with creativity and brio: Turn the stuff into something else you can sell.
Here we cite seven examples of merchants doing just that. We found quite a few of our fun specimens on
Etsy, which seems to be a hotbed of solo artisans and small teams of dreamers producing delightful, one-of-a-kind, sustainable goods.
From snack wrappers to snazzy totes
You might think that once you're done with a snack wrap or juice pouch, that's it. But you could just as easily collect those items and send them to
TerraCycle in Trenton New Jersey. There, they make all sorts of nifty items such as
tote bags from CapriSun pouches and wrappers from Doritos and Lays bags.
"We work with about 40 different kinds of products and packaging," says Lauren Taylor, director of US public relations. "Some of the more interesting ones are cigarette butts we can recycle into industrial uses, such as palettes. We also have a plant caddy that's available at Target that's made from drink pouches." Another cool form of recycling: They've taken some of that money and donated more than $6.6 million to charity.
The world is always moving forward with new inventions and ideas coming in and old ones going out day after day; the speed of progression is almost hard to keep up with. Practices deemed safe for years are now being discovered as unsafe, and change is always upon us. Luckily for the environment, this is a good thing.
Scientists and researchers alike are finding that many of our traditional ways of environmental preservation are not as good as they thought. Changes in how our Waste Management handles garbage and recycling are sure to be on the way.
Now that we’re coming up with effective ways to cut down on our paper and plastic waste, what about all of those cigarettes? I don’t think I can walk down a street without seeing a few cigarette butts scattered around. It’s gross. According to
terracycle.com, 38 percent of the litter on the road is cigarette waste. TerraCycle, a company focused on recycling and bringing awareness and action to environmental issues, created the Cigarette Waste Brigade recycling program. The
program allows an individual over the age of 21, organization, or business to collect and send cigarette waste directly to TerraCycle. Once TerraCycle receives the waste, they then compost the paper and filter and recycle it into shipping
pallets, ashtrays, and a variety of other products.
At the moment, it doesn’t seem all too convenient to run around picking up cigarette butts and shipping them off to get recycled, but it’s a good start. If anything, the idea is to bring attention to the enormous problem of cigarette littering. For more information on TerraCycle’s Cigarette Waste Brigade recycling program, visit
terracycle.com.
People around the U.S. are increasingly bringing the “green” back to their neighborhoods. In addition to initiatives like Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) and environmental education through the schools, residents are starting to focus much of their attention on building long-lasting landmarks such as community gardens.
The American Community Gardening Association estimates that there are already 18,000 community gardens throughout the country, and for good reason. According to Minnesota nonprofit Green Matters, community gardens decrease crime in urban areas with little vegetation, increase the value of properties in the surrounding area and can help locals save money on food through garden-generated produce. Instead of driving to a distant supermarket for produce or a faraway park for some green space, it’s just a matter of walking over to the nearby garden.
The health benefits associated with these gardens show how important open garden spaces can be to otherwise “greenless” urban environments. In 2013, University of Utah researchers found that residents who get involved with community garden projects have recognizably lower body mass indexes than nongardeners, with less chance of being overweight. Not only that, fresh produce from community gardens is less likely to be contaminated with pesticides than other kinds and can be used to teach kids about better nutrition.
Organizations such as GrowNYC try to make neighborhood gardens more prevalent. It has already helped establish more than 70 community gardens in New York City, one made with recycled beauty waste with the help of Garnier and recycling company TerraCycle. Initiatives like these not only help establish community gardens in areas with otherwise sparse vegetation, but get the public involved, increase environmental awareness, and educate the community at the same time.
Assistant Director Lenny Librizzi shared these tips for getting involved in a community garden.
• Look Online—Well-organized community gardens usually have websites or Facebook groups.
• Visit—Take a walk through nearby gardens to see which one you’re most drawn to.
• Get Your Hands Dirty—Being a member of a community garden is about more than just growing vegetables. All members should expect to help with common areas, composting, watering, or volunteering time.Ê
• If At First You Don’t Succeed—Each garden has different rules and management systems. If you don’t feel like you’re gelling with the group, try out another one or consider starting your own.
Organizations such as the National Recreation and Park Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offer grant programs to communities to help fund garden projects. Some companies are also helping. For example, TerraCycle and Garnier will bring another Garnier Green Garden made out of recycled beauty waste to one of five urban areas in the U.S. in a contest decided by a public vote.
To vote and learn more, visit
www.green.garnierusa.com.
People around the U.S. are increasingly bringing the “green” back to their neighborhoods. In addition to initiatives like Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) and environmental education through the schools, residents are starting to focus much of their attention on building long-lasting landmarks such as community gardens.
The American Community Gardening Association estimates that there are already 18,000 community gardens throughout the country, and for good reason. According to Minnesota nonprofit Green Matters, community gardens decrease crime in urban areas with little vegetation, increase the value of properties in the surrounding area and can help locals save money on food through garden-generated produce. Instead of driving to a distant supermarket for produce or a faraway park for some green space, it’s just a matter of walking over to the nearby garden.
The health benefits associated with these gardens show how important open garden spaces can be to otherwise “greenless” urban environments. In 2013, University of Utah researchers found that residents who get involved with community garden projects have recognizably lower body mass indexes than nongardeners, with less chance of being overweight. Not only that, fresh produce from community gardens is less likely to be contaminated with pesticides than other kinds and can be used to teach kids about better nutrition.
Organizations such as GrowNYC try to make neighborhood gardens more prevalent. It has already helped establish more than 70 community gardens in New York City, one made with recycled beauty waste with the help of Garnier and recycling company TerraCycle. Initiatives like these not only help establish community gardens in areas with otherwise sparse vegetation, but get the public involved, increase environmental awareness, and educate the community at the same time.
Assistant Director Lenny Librizzi shared these tips for getting involved in a community garden.
• Look Online—Well-organized community gardens usually have websites or Facebook groups.
• Visit—Take a walk through nearby gardens to see which one you’re most drawn to.
• Get Your Hands Dirty—Being a member of a community garden is about more than just growing vegetables. All members should expect to help with common areas, composting, watering, or volunteering time.Ê
• If At First You Don’t Succeed—Each garden has different rules and management systems. If you don’t feel like you’re gelling with the group, try out another one or consider starting your own.
Organizations such as the National Recreation and Park Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture offer grant programs to communities to help fund garden projects. Some companies are also helping. For example, TerraCycle and Garnier will bring another Garnier Green Garden made out of recycled beauty waste to one of five urban areas in the U.S. in a contest decided by a public vote.
To vote and learn more, visit
www.green.garnierusa.com.
While packaging design has always been a fascinating creative discipline, its future promises to be even more exciting and complex. In today’s competitive market, companies are more aware of the importance of good packaging in determining the consumer’s value perception of a product. In the past, packaging served one purpose – to contain and protect the merchandise. Now, it’s a communication vehicle. The focus is just as much on the package as it is on the product inside it.
Considering that more than half of purchases are based on emotional response
[i], especially when a consumer is unsure and must choose between several brands of products, it’s not surprising that many companies that manage to master the art of design aesthetics and speak to the heart of their target audience, are on top of their game. Brand leaders such as Apple, Bang & Olufsen and IKEA demonstrate that design is what defines them and gives them their competitive edge.
Below, Laura Drewe takes a look at some exciting trends in the future of packaging design.
Sustainability
A dynamic trend that is influential in package design acknowledges growing consumer awareness of the environment – consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about global environmental issues and are changing their buying habits accordingly.
The 2012 Survey of Future Packaging Trends, conducted by Packaging World magazine and DuPont to identify trends shaping the packaging industry for the next 10 years, indicates the packaging industry believes consumers value convenience (76 per cent) and shelf appeal (58 per cent).
However, when asked what were going to be the packaging attributes that were most important to consumers in the coming decade, respondents suggest that consumer priorities are drastically changing. The focus is on sustainability, specifically the perceived “greenness” of packaging materials (increasing by 23 per cent), recyclability (increasing 27 per cent) and reusability (increasing 13 per cent)
[vii].
According to Tom Szaky, writing on sustainable packaging trends in March this year for Packaging Digest, over 80 per cent of consumers are mindful of the claims made by products about their sustainability. This consumer response has major implications for companies and agencies aiming to target environmentally conscious consumers across numerous industries, and further highlights the importance of corporate responsibility when it comes to being environmentally and sustainably-conscious
[viii].
Alte Zahnbürsten, leere Zahncreme´s, Zahnseide... alles konnte gesammelt werden. Insgesamt kamen knapp 18.000 Artikel zusammen, die nun alle mit der Post zu TerraCycle geschickt werden. TerraCycle recyelt die Sachen und stellt daraus Gießkannen und Blumentöpfe her. Wer gern mal einen Einblick von der Arbeit bekommen möchte, kann unter www.terracycle.de schauen.
Die Unternehmen TerraCycle® und BIC®, Hersteller unter anderem von Schreibwaren, bieten dafür jetzt ein bundesweites Sammelprogramm an, dank dessen ausgediente Schreibgeräte künftig als Basis für neue Kunststoffprodukte wie Stiftehalter, Gießkannen und Mülltonnen dienen sollen.
