Packaging Matters

Mary Campbell, Pinellas County Extension Director, Urban Sustainability Agent

Did you know that up to one out of every $11 you spend at the store pays for packaging? Also, when all packaging is accounted for, it adds up to about one-third of all the trash that's thrown away in the United States. By shopping carefully you can reduce excess packaging that you would throw away. Packaging protects products from contamination, damage during shipping and provides detailed product information. Some products need packaging that is tamper-evident and child-resistant. But is all packaging necessary?

Manufacturers are responding to pressures to reduce packaging or make a product more "environmentally-friendly," but you still pay for packaging every time you purchase a product. If this concerns you, there are ways you can reduce costs and waste. Not every strategy will fit every lifestyle, but you should be able to find one or more ideas to use from the following suggestions. Keep track of what you save each time by making smart packaging choices when you shop. It may not seem like much at first, but within several months you'll see a difference.

When practical, buy in bulk.
Choose reusable or recyclable packages.
Avoid excessive packaging.
Pay for the product, not the package.

When you shop, you can use strategies to reduce unwanted packaging. You can buy products in large sizes or in bulk quantities. You can select products with packaging that can be recycled or reused. You can purchase products that don't have excessive packaging and get more of the product for the price you pay. And you can "personalize" smart shopping strategies to your own lifestyle and family needs. Shopping with packaging options in mind can make a difference for natural resource conservation and at the check-out counter.

And always remember – take reusable bags to the store! Take the Pledge and be part of the over 500 people in Pinellas County who have pledge to reduce the use of plastic bags.
Click here to make your commitment!


Resource:
Consumer Choices can Reduce Packaging Waste

Give the Gift of Green

James Stevenson, Pinellas County Extension Specialist, Urban Sustainability

Making Choices
Gift-giving has become a huge part of the holiday season. Jokes are made about receiving an obnoxious pair of socks, ridiculous sweater, or some other wildly-inappropriate item. This holiday-humor has a sinister undertone, however. If a gift is merely a token, and not carefully considered, that gift might very well end up in the waste stream. Just think of all the musical Santa ties stacked up in our local landfills!

When choosing a gift for a friend or loved-one, remember things like personal attire are just that: personal. A gift-card from a local business can be used at your friend’s leisure to get just what he or she wants. These almost waste-free gifts can solve lots of shopping conundrums.

Families may consider setting spending limits, or drawing names for gift exchange. This is certainly not a new idea, but according to a national survey, 70% of Americans would welcome less emphasis on gift giving and spending. (Center for a New American Dream) Especially during these troubled economic times, giving less means spending less, and less chance for the waste stream to burst its banks!

Ready, Set, SHOP! Buying Green for the Holidays

James Stevenson, Pinellas County Extension Specialist, Urban Sustainability

Green Shopping Tips

Before you head out to do the shopping this Holiday Season, don't forget the Big Three of Sustainability: Environment, Economy and Society.

We've endeavored to show that in every aspect of our lives, no matter how mundane, we can make choices that benefit the Big Three. Shopping, especially as it reaches a yearly peak this month, is a great place to stretch your green wings.

Environment

• Streamline shopping trips so you stay off the road as much as possible.


• When making any purchase, consider the packaging--if it comes down to a choice between two products, choose the one with the most easily-recycled/reused packaging.


• Buy whatever you can in bulk, especially items you and your family will be using a lot of this season.


• Don't forget to bring your reusable bags with you when you shop!

Economy

• Patronize local business for your shopping needs this year. Support for the "Little Guy" bolsters our local economy.


• Make a list and stick to it! Purchase only what you NEED.


• Shop on-line to avoid getting on the road and wasting gas.

Society

• Budget for a donation to a local charity.


• Take some time to visit/bring a gift to a shut-in.


• Before you bring a lot more "stuff" into your home, have a sort-through of what you've got and take any and all excess to a thrift shop (while you are there, you MIGHT just find that perfect something for that someone!!)
  

Ready, Set, SHOP! Buying Green for the Holidays

James Stevenson, Pinellas County Extension Specialist, Urban Sustainability

Welcome to the "12 Days of Green" this hooliday season. Our first is a three-part installment that will hopefully help you in making decisions when composing your holiday shopping lists.

Green Products
Holiday green. Holiday greenery. Greenbacks. Have you got “green-fatigue” already? Well, try to relax and we will help you not get overwhelmed by all the choices to be made in looking for and purchasing green products. Remember Vestina Crayton’s article on “Greenwashing,” and the tips offered in previous posts.

What purchases increase during the holidays? What green options are available?

We’ll cover gifts in later posts, but just think of what purchases increase during the winter holidays: Extra food, decorations, cards, and the fuel used to zoom around making these extra purchases all add up. Green choices will help reduce the strain on the wallet, and in turn may benefit the environment.

Food: What is “green food?” Not just veggies! When making choices about holiday meals, treats, snacks, etc., consider the source of the ingredients. You may want to purchase organics in an effort to satisfy “green guilt,” but as Jan Wade-Miller points out in Timely Topics: “On average, fresh produce in the United States travels anywhere from 1,300 to 2,000 miles from the farmer to the consumer -- a process that creates enormous amounts of greenhouse gasses. These food miles partially cancel the benefits of organic farming.” Buying locally grown produce has an immediate environmental benefit.

Decorations: Again, consider gussying-up your home this holiday with recycled items. Many thrift stores keep re-usable decorations ready for sale during this time of year. No sense in importing MORE plastic from overseas if there are suitable baubles already here! Consider supporting local green-grocers who often offer greenery, plants and flowers sourced much more locally than the big retailers. Supporting local business is great for our economy.

Cards: The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year n the U.S. could fill a football field 10 stories high. If we each sent one card less, we'd save 50,000 cubic yards of paper. (Use Less Stuff) Consider sending an electronic card. The following are some examples of what is available on the internet:
American Greetings
Hallmark
Yahoo Greeting Cards

Finally, as with the rest of the year, plan your trips wisely. Jetting out the door for one cup of sugar wastes your valuable time as well as precious petroleum! Relax and plan your shopping trips to avoid unnecessary travel.

Choosing a Green Floor

Vestina F. Crayton, Pinellas County Extension Educator, Urban Sustainability

Replacing or updating your floors is a big investment. There are many functional and attractive flooring materials available. Before you purchase, consider selecting a material that is environmentally friendly. Some options that are available include cork, bamboo (pictured, right), tile, concrete, linoleum, brick, terrazzo, stone, and wood.

Vendors are one of the easiest ways to help you identify what is green and what makes it green. With so many choices, how do you begin to make a selection? A good place to start is to ask “how will this material perform for the activities conducted in the room?” For example: the material that you use in your kitchen may not be what you would use in your bedroom. Consider these three factors:

1. Cost – In addition to the price, what are the environmental and social impacts?
2. Maintenance and Durability – How long will this product last?
3. Health – How will this product affect my indoor air quality?

Rob Banks, executive vice-president of a world-leading building materials manufacturer reflects on the flooring trends for 2008. "In terms of growth in sales this year, we have seen some of our biggest increases so far from cork flooring. Cork flooring has a number of unique benefits that customers are starting to pick up on. It's softer under foot than wood flooring and does a great job at retaining warmth. It's also a renewable product that is harvested sustainably.” Even with the increasing desire to explore and utilize environmentally friendly products, wood continues to be a top choice for consumers. With this mind, here are a few quick tips to help you evaluate a wood product.

• Look for vendors that offer products made of salvaged wood.
• Look for the FSC label (http://www.fsc.org/)
• Reconsider purchasing exotic woods.
• Buy floors that are factory sealed. This minimizes the use of chemicals.
• Use low VOC sealants for unfinished floors.
  (http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/sustainability/Sustainable%20Living%20Glossary%20-%20Engage%20output/engage.html)
• Make sure the engineered wood has low levels of urea formaldehyde. This information can be found on the OSHA Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=10099#1910.1200(g)

Whatever material you decide to purchase, do the research and ask the right questions.

References:
Pinellas County Extension – Solutions for Your Life http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/sustainability/green_purchasing.shtml
Occupational Safety and Health Administration http://www.osha.gov/
Forest Stewardship Council http://www.fsc.org/
Roberts,J, (2006). Good Green Kitchens, Utah: Gibbs Smith

Is It Too Stuffy In Here?

by Vestina F. Crayton, Pinellas County Extension Educator, Urban Sustainability

Making the decision to purchase green is motivated by many reasons such as the desire to conserve natural resources, supporting a local economy, and living a healthier lifestyle.

Retailers, marketers, and advertisers entice the consumer to go out and shop. With clever slogans, catchy jingles and the promise of being “new and improved,” it’s easy to get caught up in the marketing frenzy.

Before you head out to the stores, take a moment to ask yourself, “Do I need it or just want it?” What is my true motivation for making this purchase? Whether by choice or necessity, rising costs for gas and food are making individuals take a closer look at their spending habits.

Here are some questions to ask yourself before you decide to purchase:
· Is my current one sufficient?
· Can I reuse or refurbish what I have to meet my needs?
· Can I borrow it from a family member, friend, or neighbor?
· Can I rent or lease the item if it is used infrequently?
· Can I share the cost with someone who can also use it?
· Will I be able to maintain it?
· Can I recycle it once I am done with it?
· Can I donate the item I’m replacing?

Everyone knows the three R’s: Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Add a fourth one: Refuse! Refuse to purchase something you really don’t need or want. Then you won’t have to reduce, reuse, or recycle it! (UF/IFAS Sustainable Living booklet-version 7-06-26-07)

If you’ve examined your motivation and have determined that you must purchase, consider green or environmentally preferable products (this post explains such products). Look for items that are reusable, durable, require little or no maintenance, and are recyclable.


Resource link
http://pinellas.ifas.ufl.edu/sustainability/green_purchasing.shtml

Greenwashing: Be Aware

by Vestina F. Crayton, Extension Educator, Urban Sustainability

When purchasing an environmentally preferable or sustainable product or service be aware of greenwashing. TerraChoice (http://www.terrachoice.com/files/6_sins.pdf), a science-based environmental marketing organization, defines greenwashing as the ‘act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service.’ Purchasing green starts with a decision and making a decision is a process. Part of this process includes gathering information. This information is retrieved from internal and external sources. Past experiences is a primary internal source while friends, family, advertisements, make up some of the external sources. Many consumers rely on advertisements and labeling to gather information to assist with making a purchase. Advertising professionals understand the psychology of the decision making process and appeal to the average consumer buy following the marketing mix: product, price, place, and promotion. Product is the tangible good or service, price is the amount given that reflects the actual or perceived value, place is the where or how the product or service is disseminated and promotion is the activities that entice the consumer to purchase.

For many, being green, environmentally conscientious, and sustainable is a way of life. However, there are others who are just discovering the social, economic, and environmental benefits of being green. This interest is attributed, in part, to marketing and promotion. Generally speaking, the novice green purchaser will initially seek out goods and services that highlight qualities such as environmentally friendly, eco-friendly, and green through packaging, logos and colors. This is not necessarily the wrong way to identify green products but make sure the product is actually what it is claiming to be. Be aware of greenwashing.

When gathering information to make a green purchase, do the research, look for the third party certified labels and ask the vendor or manufacturer the who, what, when, where, and how was the product created. Including this information into your decision to make a green purchase will give you the confidence that you will not be greenwashed.

Reference
TerraChoice Environmental Marketing Inc (November 2007)”The Six Sins of Greenwashing” (http://www.terrachoice.com/files/6_sins.pdf
Crayton Vestina F. (May 2008) ”How Do I know it’s Green?”
Crayton Vestina F. (April 2008) “Finding Green Products is Simple.”