‘Pack’ to the future
TerraCycle Upcycling packaging Green sustainable packaging Include USA
Likewise, sustainability keeps growing in the packaging world. I think the packaging question of the century is: How can we eliminate, or at least reduce, the amount of packaging going into landfills?
When Terracycle started making backpacks and clipboards out of used juice boxes and chip bags in 2001, it was one of the first creative ways to “upcycle” waste and keep it out of landfills.
And the solutions are likely only going to get more innovative. This year’s Winter Olympics in Vancouver featured medals made from old computers and TVs. Athletes at this summer’s World Cup will be wearing jerseys made from recycled plastic bottles. And Ecovative Design has created a material made from mushrooms that can replace polystyrene in product packaging.
Innovations like these are giving us a glimpse into the future. Imagine a world where you can’t find plastic bottles in a landfill. Instead, you’ll find them in the fabric of your clothes. Or picture wearing jewelry with a new type of gemstone made from outdated electronics.