One of the things
we’ll remember from 2007 is the many recalls of product imported from
China. Almost every month, the public was hit with another health scare or
product safety concern that resulted in recalls: pet food that contained
melamine, toothpaste with diethylene glycol, toys with lead-based paints.
Going green is turning
into a growth industry. Both consumers and suppliers are talking about it.
Expectations are changing. Being kinder and gentler to our planet has
become part of who, and what, many of us want to be. Buying green products or using green packages helps to satisfy the
“virtue quota,” the amount of goodness people need to
contribute to the world to feel like good people.
It is human nature that we
are much more likely to respond to a single large event than a number of
small events. This is true even though the cumulative effect the small
events may exceed the single large event.
Like everything else these
days, “green” claims have hit packaging in a big way. The
emergence of new claims, such as “renewable” and
“sustainable,” and claims about carbon offsets and renewable
energy are all the rage now. They’re being pushed by product
manufacturers, as well as by major retailers.
Cutting back on bottled
water is becoming a way to do your part to save the planet. Even though the category was created by packaging technology
and marketing, bottled water is an integral part of consumer lifestyles.
It’s a brand new
year, with a brand new name for the magazine. It’s also time for New
Year’s resolutions. Will this be the year you stop fighting the
crocodiles and begin draining the swamp?
Last month you read the
final issue of Food & Drug Packaging. When it launched in 1959, its purpose was to report on
packaging developments specifically in the markets overseen by the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration.
While there has been
significant progress made during the past year toward a greater overall
understanding of sustainability, corporate social responsibility and
sustainable packaging, Jason Pearson, the president and CEO of Greenblue
recently made a keen observation.
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