Eco-Friendly Packaging for Earth Day and Every Day

 Each year on April 22^nd, we pause as a global community to acknowledge, appreciate, and re-evaluate our individual efforts for reducing our carbon footprint on Earth Day, and every day beyond.  Originally founded by then-Senator of Wisconsin Gaylord Nelson on April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day was observed and celebrated. 49 years later, the global conscience and awareness is at an all time high, as we seek to better our planet, and better our lives as a society. 

In the packaging world, there is a need for flexible plastics to contain, store, and ship products.  As manufacturers seek alternative packaging options, more are turning to biodegradable films, bags, and liners that offer the same strength and tensile properties as traditional non-degradable plastics, but with the ability to break down and degrade when they come in contact with the soil.

Plascon Group is a direct manufacturer of blown films, including biodegradable films, bags, and liners. As manufacturer, we control the process from start to finish, and are able to offer customizations including size, clear or colored film, and one-color printing for logo and branding. Our films are FDA & USDA approved, and BRC Certified for food grade use, but are equally beneficial to any product packaging need from industrial, commercial and retail use. Anything requiring a box liner or bag can be packaged with our biodegradable products.

How it Works

Biodegradation begins when the plastic comes in contact with the soil. The amount of microbes available in the soil and the soil conditions determine the rate of degradation. Microbes in the soil react with the additive in the plastic, creating enzymes and acids which start the biodegradation, and continues until fully biodegraded.

As we take a moment to honor Earth Day, take a look at your daily routines both at home and at work.  What steps can you or your place of work take to achieve a higher level of ecological sustainability? You may be surprised to learn some fundamentally basic choices in every day life can make a big impact if we all make the choice to observe them.  If you are feeling overwhelmed by how to make Eco-Friendly changes to everyday tasks, here are a few simple things that you can start doing right away:

•  Replace your light bulbs with energy efficient LED light bulbs
• Use your dishwasher instead of washing by hand. Really?  The average dishwasher uses 6 gallons of water per cycle. Energy Star-rated machines average about 4 gallons. Meanwhile, the average faucet produces 2 gallons of water per minute.
• Use the cold setting on your clothes washing machine. Energy Star states that nearly 9o% of the energy used doing laundry goes towards the heating of the water.
• Bring a mug to work instead of using paper cups for coffee.
• Use a refillable water bottle in place of bottled water.

Earth-friendly does not have to be viewed as an inconvenience.  “Going green” may be just be a matter of altering a few lifestyle or work habits.  So celebrate Earth Day, but don’t forget about it the remaining 364 days of the year.

Plascon manufactures blown films including biodegradable films in our Corporate Office and Manufacturing Plant in Traverse City, Michigan.  We proudly offer products that are Made in the USA. Contact us to learn more about our product offerings, and how we can help you and your organization on the road to sustainability.