The “Egregious Packaging” online community exists to name and shame companies that insist on massive paper and plastic waste. We got in touch with Kathryn Kellogg from Goingzerowaste.com to learn more. So get comfortable as you scroll through, upvote your favorites, and be sure to comment your thoughts below. “The materials used to package our items all have an environmental impact. For example, to make plastic, the raw material crude oil must be extracted from the earth in an unsustainable manner, usually through fracking. Then it must undergo processing in a fossil fuel-powered factory where it is transformed into moldable plastic. Next, it must be shipped to warehouses or stores, which typically requires gas-powered trucks to transport.” Interestingly, even though it does appear that the combination of shopping and excessive packaging would be the main culprit in terms of plastic waste, this is not actually the case. Packaging only accounts for 5% of municipal solid waste in the United States. While the examples here are extreme, it’s worth noting that many companies have adopted more eco-friendly packaging. The good news is that biodegradable plastics do exist. However, they aren’t the silver bullet many of us would prefer. For one, they may produce methane gas when decomposing, which is sort of counterproductive on the face of things. Still, they at least can be gotten rid of, while traditional plastic might outlive the pyramids. Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! Please use high-res photos without watermarks Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
