Earth Overload
April has been dominated by a single issue: Save the Earth. But at the end of a month filled with so many Earth-friendly themes, I am left wondering if most people understand which of their actions are really sustainable and which ones simply make them feel better about what they consume.
My month started with a trip to Bentonville, Arkansas, for the Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Expo. For each of the past five years, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Clubs have invited over 100 packaging suppliers who offer sustainable packaging solutions to their key suppliers.
Last week, the nation celebrated the 40th anniversary of Earth Day.
And this week, I wrapped up the month by participating in a bioresin survey from Iowa State University.
A Wal-Mart winner: A package redesign by Body Fortress allows it to fit the same volume of protein powder in a canister that uses 30% less plastic.
The Wal-Mart Expo was notable for its many admirable materials and technologies that have little practical chance of succeeding in Wal-Mart’s “cost-neutral” business model. The room was full of vendors — manufacturers of plastic and aluminum bottles, paperboard, pallets, films and thermoformed trays — who all offer legitimate sustainable solutions. But the fact is that many of these solutions still come at a price premium, especially those products that contain some or all recycled materials or are made from bioresins. Wal-Mart is hoping that by mandating use of sustainable materials through its Packaging Scorecard, that the volumes they support will drive down prices for recycled feedstock. Eventually, that may happen. But for now, the only viable sustainable solutions that meet Wal-Mart’s cost-driven mantra are those that cost the same or less than the packaging they replace.
The Iowa State University survey was more proof that sustainable solutions — particularly bioresins — are having trouble gaining traction. The survey sought to find out why companies making products from bioresins (which in this country, are primarily corn-based) are making these products, what challenges they have encountered making them, and what barriers would need to be removed in order to have bioresins succeed on a large scale. Overall, the survey was well-designed and seemed to consider most of the factors that impact this young industry (cost, supply, certifications, government support and subsidies). However, I was somewhat surprised that “performance” was not among their list of potential barriers to large-scale adoption.
All of April’s activities (except for the horrific oil spill in the Gulf Coast) demonstrate steps in the right direction for the environment. Maybe by the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, we’ll have options for recycled packaging and bioresins that are not only at cost parity with traditional plastics, but also outperform them.