Green Packing Materials

Packaging materials used to ship goods purchased online are frequently excessive, and needlessly damage the environment. Environmentally conscious consumers object to this waste, and feel that they should be able to use biodegradable packaging. Biodegradable packaging is both cheap and readily available, and yet plastic based materials are still widely used. These advances should enable consumers to choose biodegradable packaging over traditional synthetic packaging, and spur the uptake of biodegradable packaging through market demand. However, consumers don’t know prior to their purchase which packaging the merchant will use – nor do they have a choice in the matter.

The solution is to implement a GREEN PACKING MATERIALS certification program, with a recognizable logo for placement on vendor websites, and give consumers the option to choose GREEN packaging for a small surcharge. Providing and promoting this option should allow environmentally conscious vendors to demonstrate their values to consumers, and further create an incentive for other online merchants to adjust their shipping practices to be more environmentally friendly.

While existing programs such as EnergyStar and LEED Green Building Certification provide ample precedent for the proposed program, input from Science and Policy experts could surely improve upon the existing models of GREEN certification. In essence, all of the components of a GREEN PACKAING MATERIALS program already exist. All that is missing is the commitment and resources to empower consumers with an environmentally conscious choice.

What's next? Right now I'm trying to gather as much feedback, criticism and other input as possible. This is where you come in.