Packaging: What a Waste!!

Transcription

1 Name Date Hour Packaging: What a Waste!! When you woke up this morning and got ready for school, what were some of the things you did? You probably took a shower or washed up. Maybe you got dressed, fixed your hair, maybe put on makeup. Did you have something to eattoast, eggs, cereal, milk or juice? You probably grabbed your bag containing your school work, phone or MP3 player and headed out the door. Now think about all the items you used as you did these things and how they got to your home in the first place- soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and paste, food items, clothing, hangers, electronic items. What types of containers did they come in? For instance consider your food. Was the cereal in a cardboard box with a plastic liner? Did your eggs come in foam or paper cartons, milk or juice in glass, plastic or paper? How about your electronics? Did they come in a box or plastic clamshell? Today we are going to look at packaging. What purpose does it serve? What is it made of? What are the costs? Where does it go and what we can do about it? In your group, try to come up with 5 different reasons something might come in a package. What is the purpose? Group Predictions of the purpose of packaging:

2 You have 5 different types of packaging in front of you. With your group analyze the package in terms of the function or reasons for the packaging. Write the name of each item you are analyzing and then check appropriate boxes for function and whether the amount of packaging is necessary or appears to be over packaged. Name of Item Preservation Protection Sanitation Consumer Safety Comply with Regulations Identification Provide Instruction Convenience Advertising Other Necessary Excessive A B C D E

3 1. Tell me which packaging function you think is the most important and justify your choice. 2. Which product has the most packaging? Is it necessary? 3. Why might packaging be designed to make the item seem bigger and more eyecatching? 4. Which packaging appears unnecessary or excessive, explain your choice? What are the problems associated with excessive packaging? How would you change this packaging to reduce its environmental impact? 5. What usually happens to packaging after using the product? 6. List two alternatives to disposal.

4 What is it made of? Look at the different materials that the containers are made of. With your group, decide what types of material these items are made of and classify them as to the following types and describe them below. Material Type Our Samples Other Examples Natural Reusable Recyclable Non-recyclable Made from recycled material 7. From what materials were various packaging made? Use the examples from the table Which types of packaging material could be recycled?

5 9. How do you know if a package was produced from recycled materials? 10. What are the advantages to buying packages made from recycled products? 11. What are some situations where packaging is not necessary? 12. Identify two environmental and/or waste management problems associated with packaging. What does it cost? 13. How do you think the amount and type of packaging affects the cost of different food products? 14. What percent of the cost of packaged foods do you think is due to packaging? Predicted % Actual % Visualize yourself traveling down the grocery store isle and picture in your minds as many different potato products as you can and list them below. 15. Which forms of the potato seem to be most highly processed? 16. Which do you think will be the most expensive per pound?

6 Calculate the price per pound for each product and identify the packaging material. Product Package Size Price Price/Pound Packaging Fresh Russetbulk 0.69 None bin Fresh Russet 5 lb 2.99 Potatoes- Idaho Fresh Russet 5 lb 2.49 Potatoes- WI Fresh Russet 10 lb 2.99 Potatoes- store Canned 15 oz 1.19 Potatoes-sliced Canned 15 oz 1.19 Potatoes-whole Tater Tots- 30 oz 2.99 Frozen Hash brown 32 oz 3.29 patties-frozen Hash Browns 30 oz 2.99 (loose)-frozen French fries (crinkles)- frozen 32 oz 5 lb French fries- 28 oz 2.99 Curly Potato Chips 2.75 oz 1.29 Potato Chips 11 oz 3.99 Instant Mashed Potato buds Instant Mashed Potato buds Instant Mashed Potato buds Mashed Potatoes-Refrig Mashed Potatoesfrozen 3.3 oz oz lb 10 oz oz oz Which form of potato would you purchase if you were interested in reducing solid waste? 18. Which form of potato would you purchase if you were interested in saving money?

7 19. Explain the relationships between cost, amount of processing, and packaging of products? In the United States, packaging accounts for: 50 % of all paper produced, 90 % of all glass, 11 % of all aluminum, 3 % of all energy used. Packaging makes up about 50% by volume and 30 % by weight of municipal solid waste. Excessive packaging typically increases the cost of products. Packaging manufacturing, distribution, and retail processes generally fail to account for the cost of package disposal. Since this cost is not included in the cost of the product, the product sells for less than it would if the cost for disposal were included. However, consumers do eventually pay for the costs associated with package disposal in the form of higher fees for garbage collection, landfill and incinerator operations, and the cleanup of litter. Without reusing or recycling packaging materials, the energy and natural resources that go into packaging are buried in landfills. 20. How can packaging actually reduce the volume of waste of the items inside the packaging? 21. Is packaging necessary for all types of food? 22. Which packaging is least wasteful of natural resources? 23. Which is most wasteful? 24. Which products could be bought in bulk or in large containers?

8 25. What are the advantages of buying items in large quantities (or in bulk)? 26. What criteria might you consider when deciding whether packaging is necessary or wasteful? 27. Which of your favorite foods could you buy without packaging? 28. Select one type of cookie you want to package. Identify the purpose of the package and describe and/or draw the most environmentally friendly packaging you can. Make sure you explain your design and material choices.