Go Green

by: Buck
             One word that every company strives to incorporate into their production and their product, whether they are in the packaging industry or not, is sustainability. This word's relevance increases over time, but it has never always been a part of the world we live in. But what does this word mean, and why is it so desired by companies? Also, what can be done by both the producer and the consumer to promote this idea of going green?
             Sustainability, in the ideal state, is indefinite production. A product that is able to sustain itself during its making over and over again. What this means in the realistic world is often referred to as the Three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Companies are always looking for new ways to fulfill these Three Rs, but why? There can be a number of reasons why a company might do this, but the honest reason is that sustainability equals lower production costs. The company might use it as self promotion, as a way to reach out to a picky market, and this is fair, but the underlying reason behind it all is the money. Though being sustainable is more appealing to consumers and it does help with reducing the natural resources used, it is a key factor in creating a cheaper production cycle for a product.
             So, what is done by the producer to promote sustainability? The Federal Trade Commission(FTC) has set certain requirements that a product must fulfill before it can be considered a "recyclable" product. I won't get into the details of these requirements, but it is important to know that these things exist to enhance how the U.S. maximizes its sustainability.
            The truth is, the gap that separates the U.S. from where we are now to a near perfect sustainable economy lies in the consumer. The government does everything that it can to promote, make efficient, and make accessible the ability to properly recycle. Nearly 75% of the U.S. population has a form of curb-side recycling accessible to them (Sustainable Packaging Coalition). That being said, not enough people have the motive to do their duty and recycle their waste. Currently, the U.S. is only able to recover and reuse 5% of the plastics that are used, the remaining 95% is thrown away, where it cannot be recovered for reuse (Sustainable Packaging Coalition).
             It is eminent that sustainability is a key factor in today's world. Companies can gain from it economically, but, more importantly, we can all gain from it environmentally. Recycling is a responsibility that we all owe to this world. Earth is the only planet we have yet to discover that can sustain human life, so why pollute it with plastics and glass that will slowly ruin the beauty around us? If we each do our part, be it a small part, we can help improve our own lives, as well as the lives of the future.