Product packaging
Posted by duncan, 505 days ago
Link: http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70874-0.... 
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Reading article "Product packaging" - Reply to this / 21 comment(s)
This is an interesting article about excess packaging of entertainment and electric goods. Having been through a couple of birthdays already, it seems that the idea of heavy-duty plastic ties to hold toys in their boxes is here to stay.
Wired points out that it's there to stop theft, but I thought that's what the door scanners were for, or the plain-clothes store detectives, or the RFID tags.
The real point, though, is that manufactures deem it acceptable to package up their goods in cardboard, clear plastic and plastic ties. In some cases I've seen those plastic ties actually screwed into the packaging. Of course, the only way for consumers to send a message to manufacturers is to stop buying them, but shop big companies be that deaf to their customers?
This is an interesting article about excess packaging of entertainment and electric goods. Having been through a couple of birthdays already, it seems that the idea of heavy-duty plastic ties to hold toys in their boxes is here to stay.
Wired points out that it's there to stop theft, but I thought that's what the door scanners were for, or the plain-clothes store detectives, or the RFID tags.
The real point, though, is that manufactures deem it acceptable to package up their goods in cardboard, clear plastic and plastic ties. In some cases I've seen those plastic ties actually screwed into the packaging. Of course, the only way for consumers to send a message to manufacturers is to stop buying them, but shop big companies be that deaf to their customers?
http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,70874-0....
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I couldn't agree more. It's obscene the amount of packaging for products that don't even require padding or protection against breakage. Buy a computer cord and you've got to get a razor blade to get it out of thick, hardened plastic and cardboard. There's no point!
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It wouldn't be so bad if you could recycle the packaging afterwards, but most schemes wont take the plastic.
Next thing we'll know is that they are packaging books in plastic cases so we can't flick through them in the shops.
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Yesterday, I cut my hand on the packaging for a scart lead! The plastic was so heavy that I was using a pair of sissors to cut it open and they slipped. Wahhhhhh. Too much!
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people have to start demanding less packaging - but to be fair, the reason most of it's there is because of frivilous lawsuits for the stupidest things because they cut their hand on the side of the box or some such thing!
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i've been searching for places that recycle plastics and the only place i know is Ikea in Gateshead.
i presume other ikeas in the uk also provide this service but there is very little information in the web site at present.
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Indeed, it is never ending. The struggle to get an extremely robust item out of its over the top packaging... it is just as bad with food as with toys/electronics.
One of the many reasons I enjoy getting my meat, fruit and veg. from my local market is that the packaging is so much more sensible. A few paper bags, a minimum of plastic wrapping and that's it. So much less than at the supermarket - it must be cheaper as well as more eco-friendly. But oops - there is no room for branding. Perhaps that is why all packaging is so over the top - it makes it easier to brand!
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You mentioned birthdays and I was thinking - that's another thing. Obviously, I'm not gonna say don't wrap up presents because that's part of the fun, but I wonder how much paper would be saved if everyone recycled the wrapping paper from birthdays and, of course, Christmas...
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I tend to re-use wrapping because I'm loathe to throw it away but it's often frowned upon by other people as being impolite or "cheap".
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I used to trade CDs with people in America and all over Europe and we always used to re-use wrapping and packaging. It was almost expected that you'd send a CD on with packaging good enough to be used three or four times more.
The same goes, I think, for buying stuff on eBay or Etsy. When it's down to individuals, people tend to reuse stuff. When it's down to big companies, especially the big online retailers, you get bulky cardboard boxes, plastic wrapping and all that nonsense.
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Yeah, that's the tricky thing about this whole business - recycling things. As though extravagance and wastefulness is the Good thing to do... Hmm.
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I do nearly always reuse jiffy bags to send stuff around. just tape it up and paste over the old address. It seems like most people do that but it's more of a cheap option as opposed to a desire to help the environment.
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Whatever a person's motive, if it means that it helps the environment in the long term, then great! (within reason of course!!!!)
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That's the thing. Most people just think you're being cheap! They don't even consider that it's good for the environment and the planet.
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forget wrapping pressies, get a nice little robust gift bag and just pop the pressie in!
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This seems to be every parent's nightmare. Trying to open the packaging of toys and what not fo rthe kids. Way overpackaged in my opinion. Plus contributes to the huge waste (trash) problem.
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sealed packages that i hate--tge type that requires sharp scissors to open.
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And, there's no place to put all that plastic and wiring except in the trash. The cardboard part can be recycled.
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we can all get a little more creative to recycle stuff. Keep a box aside for jiffy bags and big envelopes, label gthem with a new address and reuse them. you can even put a cute sticker on the envelope askign the reciver to reuse it again.
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Well, a refreshing change today.....
I have just had to buy a new set of phones (the old ones are well adn truely past it and now waiting to be taken to the council tip / recycling point in the hope that they have a special point for electronics) and the packaging was either paper or cardboard (plus 2 wire twists on the cables... I think I can let them off for that)
No plastic bags or polystyrene to be seen anywhere.... amazing! Well done to BT
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Finally someone's catching on to the fact that we dont need plastic all the time.
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Well, I never thought I'd say something like this, but all bar one of our son's Christmas presents were in packaging that was fully recyclable (that item was particularly bad as not only was there a lot of polystyrene, but it also says that you shouldn't use rechargable batteries... we're ignoring that!)
It seems that more manufacturers are catching on that we now want to see less packaging and anything that needs to be there should be biodegradeable. Cardboard was definitely the preferred material, which we're really pleased about (even our wrapping paper was OK as I made a point of having decent recycled paper, which our son decorated with string and paint).
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