Big Ideas: “How we can eliminate single use packaging” with Mike Newman, CEO of Returnity…

One of the major concerns that consumers have about the growth of ecommerce is the excess waste that goes into packaging. With consumers now wanting to feel less responsible for their impact on the environment, they're seeking out brands that facilitate environmentally conscious purchase habits–and waste-reduction is a key part of that process.

Provide education on the environmental impact of shipping and returns (ideally coupled with sustainable packaging); then allow customer to make their own choice

But politicians and environmentalists have other ideas. They’re doubling down on their mistakes by banning more plastic products and demanding alternatives that are more expensive, less convenient, and worse for the environment. Even experts familiar with the facts succumb to magical thinking. Yes, they acknowledge, we shouldn’t be exporting our pl... See more

The third and newest sign of a bright future for plastic recycling is that plastics packaging itself is changing

Single-use plastic bags are the worst environmental choice at the supermarket. Wrong: they’re the best choice. These high-density polyethylene bags are a marvel of economic, engineering, and environmental efficiency: cheap and convenient, waterproof, strong enough to hold groceries but so thin and light that they require scant energy, water, or oth... See more

And the movement toward environmentally conscious consumer products means they may be more interested in trying a refillable concentrate model, similar to those from Blueland and other brands, which reduces single-use plastic waste and is more efficient for shipping.

The problem? Cosmetic, household and other products that contain large volumes of water need strong packaging that won’t disintegrate (normally made from plastic) and are bulky to transport. In other words, they’re not very environmentally friendly. Now brands are experimenting what happens when you remove the water altogether – creating innovative... See more