Earth Day Battle: Packaging VS. The Environment Revisited

Wow, am I good. Last week I wrote about keeping track of bio resins and bio plastics and this week I get this conference announcement: Intertech-Pira presents its conference on Biodegradable Plastics Packaging Commercially viable bioplastics for the packaging industry Wednesday 12 and Thursday 13 July 2006, Renaissance Wien Hotel, Vienna, Austria.

I sure touched a "hot" button with my article last week "Earth Day Battle: Packaging VS. The Environment." If you didn't get your copy send me an email please. I have gotten interesting responses from all over the world. Mostly about the good things many packaging companies are doing for the environment (or say they are anyway). Packaging is surely taking notice of peoples concern for the environment and filling up the waste stream. Like I mentioned in my "13 Packaging Trends for 06" the environmental issues will be continue to heat up. Not only because of the concern for the environment but the volatility of resin prices which are causing people to explore other packaging alternatives.

There are so many new "green" packaging products I can't name them all. New products are being introduced every day. What I want you to do is think about "green" as a marketing tool for your packaging. The important message is to understand how companies are using the environment as part of their marketing and branding campaign for their packaging products. I will be writing more about this is a future issue.

For now here are some of the responses to: Earth Day Battle: Packaging VS. The Environment. Please feel free to contact them yourself.

<I enjoyed reading your Earth Day packaging story, although I was a bit dissapointed you didn't include info about the myriad of companies that are specifically phasing out PVC packaging in response to environmental and health concerns. It's really a growing trend with companies like Wal-Mart, Microsoft, Johnson and Johnson, and Crabtree & Evelyn announcing PVC packaging phase outs just within the past year.
I'd be happy to share with you some more info on this if interested.
To find out more contact Mike directly at:
Mike Schade
PVC Campaign Coordinator
Center for Health, Environment and Justice
9 Murray Street, Floor 3, New York, NY 10007-2223
Phone: (212) 964-3680
Fax: (212) 349-1366
mike@besafenet.com

From Theodore Downes @ MSU:The key point is that 1) solid waste is a significant environmental concern and, 2) packaging is about 1/3 of 3% of the problem, but receives about 97% of the attention. You encouraged readers to write or call. I'd be delighted to chat with you further. If you're interested, call me anytime
at 517-303-5732 or via email at downest@msu.edu

From Dirk:I just read your article in Packaging Digest regarding Packaging VS Environment. I am writing to you as the Sales & Marketing Manager of Denico Green products, Belgian based company that deals ONLY with biodegradable and compostable packaging and catering material.

Please see http://www.denico.info/ (our new web-site is under construction).

I also write you as the chairman of the new Belgian federation BBP (Belgian BioPackaging) recently created to cover all relevant manufacturers of biodegradable packaging as well as the main Belgian discounters (bringing the products in contact with the big market of consumers).

This federation also has as goal to persuade the Belgian national and regional authorities to facilitate consumers the use of biodegradable packaging.

Contact him @ Dirk WENs M. Comm - D.E.E.S.
Belgian Bio Packaging
Secretariat
Lambrechtshoekenlaan 147
B-2170 Merksem
info@belgianbiopackaging.be
http://www.belgianbiopackaging.be/