As we start to recycle more things more often, awareness has increased about the amount of packaging used on a daily basis. This raises the question - What is happening to reduce packaging?

Well, a lot is happening, but whilst some packaging reductions are visually clear to see, other changes are very subtle. For instance, the removal of the outer box for a tube of tomato puree and card sleeves around ready meals rather than full boxes are easy to see, but would you notice that a glass jar is lighter in weight? All these changes make an enormous difference. As does the purchase of concentrated products and refills which helps to reduce the environmental impact in various ways.

Reducing waste and using fewer natural resources is a powerful way of making a contribution towards reducing climate change and delivering a sustainable future.

What triggered this change?

Reducing packaging is not new – it’s been happening for decades. It makes sense for businesses to reduce packaging whenever possible; saving costs and resources is a key driver. But as technology and design techniques have advanced, packaging techniques have too.

Consumer demand for reduced packaging, as well as the many UK laws on packaging, has also encouraged manufacturers and retailers to look at new ways of using packaging. In addition, a government sponsored agreement called the Courtauld Commitment was set up to develop innovative packaging solutions so that less rubbish ends up in the household bin. This has been signed to date, by over 30 major grocery retailers, brands and suppliers in the UK.
Why is so much packaging used?

Packaging is used to protect the product and, in most cases, we can’t do without it. It gets products from the manufacturer to the retailer and finally to the consumer in a condition which the consumer expects. It also extends shelf-life, minimises breakage, safeguards public health and provides product information to consumers.

Damaged and wasted products could have far more of an environmental impact than the packaging saved, especially when a reasonable proportion of packaging material can be widely recycled. But it is important that the right amount of packaging is used – not too much nor too little. It would be unwise to reduce a product’s packaging, only to find that it has to be overly packaged to protect it when being transported to retail outlets (known as secondary packaging). Again it is about getting the balance right.

Packaging can protect and prolong the shelf life of some fruit and vegetables. Cucumber Growers Association tests show that unwrapped cucumbers are un-saleable after 3 days whilst using just under 2 grams of packaging keeps them fresh for 14 days.

Food waste is perhaps more of an issue than packaging waste, as when food rots down in landfill, it produces a ‘greenhouse gas’ called methane which is 23 times more potent than CO2 – so a balance has to be struck. Did you know that in the UK we throw away 6.7 million tonnes of food each year and every tonne of food waste is responsible for 4.5 tonnes of CO2? To find out more visit : www.lovefoodhatewaste.com

What changes have been made so far?

Recycled content in glass, metal, paper and board packaging has been a feature of packaging for many years. The use of recycled content in plastic packaging is growing and will grow further with increased availability of good quality recycled plastic. To see examples of products that use recycled materials and less packaging, or have been specifically designed to be recycled or to encourage re-use, click here.

Is it just food packaging that is being reduced?

No – the Home Improvement (DIY) sector is also looking at ways to support less packaging. Currently B&Q is using a returnable and reusable cover for carrying kitchen worktops, known as the Carrierpac. It saves on material as it can be used for up to 18 trips and reduces product damage. There is also no packaging for the consumer to dispose of.
Why hasn’t packaging been reduced on everything?

Change is happening but it takes time. It requires market research, product design and investment in machinery or moulds. More items with reduced packaging are becoming available all the time, so help keep this going by buying products with less packaging.

For more information please visit; Recycle Now

Our packaging is designed to:

* Get the food to you in the best possible condition with the minimum breakage.
* Keep your food safe and fresh.
* Allow it to be stored, transported and displayed in an efficient way.
* Provide you with legally required and other important information.

For 100 years Kellogg’s has reduced the amount and thickness of its packaging wherever it has been possible without compromising product quality and food safety standards. For example we have reduced the thickness of the carton board used in the box significantly over the years. We have also reduced the thickness of the Cornflakes cereal bag since the 1970’s.

Some supermarkets will recycle cereal bags along with their plastic carrier bag recycling schemes.

Recycling

The first cereal packet that we produced 100 years ago was made of recycled card and that is still true today.

The cereal box

Your cereal box is made of 92% recycled card fibre. The reason that the box is not made from 100% recycled materials is that it would not be strong enough and therefore we add 8% “virgin” fibre – which comes from sustainably managed forests.

The cereal box can be recycled and even if your local kerbside collection does will not take it, you should be able to take it to your local recycling centre. Please check with your local authority.

The cereal bag

All Kellogg’s packaging that is in direct contact with the food e.g. the cereal bag, is made of a plastic called “High Density Polyethylene”. This is not made from recycled material.

It is technically possible to recycle the cereal bag but unfortunately many recycling schemes will not take them. If the bag cannot be taken as part of your kerbside collection you might be able to take it to a local recycling centre. Please check directly with your local authority or use the “Recycle Now” link below.

Some supermarkets may take the cereal bag as part of their carrier bag recycling schemes. If you cannot find a way of recycling your wrapper please dispose of it with your other non recyclable rubbish.

The Cereal bar & snacks box

If you buy your Kellogg’s cereal bars & snacks in a box you’ll be pleased to know that the box is made from 92% recycled materials (like the cereal box) and can be recycled in the same way.

Cereal bar and snacks wrapper

All Kellogg’s packaging that is in direct contact with the food is made from new materials. It is technically possible to recycle the cereal bar wrappers and snack bags but at the moment most recycling schemes will not take them. If you cannot find a way of recycling your cereal bag please dispose of it with your other non recyclable rubbish.

For more information on what you can recycle and where go to this website:

Recycle Now - This excellent website can tell you all about local recycling including contacts at your Council and what you can recycle, and where.

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Life without water isn't possible. But every day in the UK we take it for granted. With no water we wouldn't be able to wash, cook, clean or drink. We'd have no food, toilets, shower, washing machine, or many of the mod-cons we take for granted every day. Do what you can to save water and recycle it where you can.

Saving water
1. Fix leaking taps and water pipes. A little drip will add up to buckets of water over time.
2. When you wash the dishes, turn the tap off between rinsing.
3. Don't rinse dishes before placing in the dishwasher, this is what the dishwasher will do.
4. Don't keep the tap running when brushing your teeth otherwise you'll lose gallons of wasted water.
5. Do take a shower instead of bath and use a fraction of water in comparison.
6. Approximately a third of water per day is used to flush the loo. By filling a one litre bottle of water and placing it in the water system, you'll save a litre of water with every flush.
7. Use a brush to keep garden paths clean and tidy instead of wasting water hosing it down.

Recycling water
1. Connect a water butt at the end of your roof drain to catch rain water. Use this to water the garden and plants. Bid on a water butt and create your very own micro-reservoir.
2. Water in-door plants with the dregs of empty glasses of water.
3. If you are waiting for the shower to warm up, place a bucket under the shower so as not to waste water. This can be used for cooking, the garden, flushing the loo etc... Simply fit a device which allows you to divert your used bath or shower water. Buy a 'Water Two' device from www.watertwo.co.uk for only �27.95.
4. Get more information on how to beat the hosepipe ban.

In the garden
1. If you plan to water your lawn and garden, do it in the early morning or evening as this will reduce evaporation and keep the soil moist for longer.
2. Set the blades higher on your lawn mower to keep the grass longer, moister and a habitat for fauna.
3. Garden sprinklers are great if you haven't got time to water the garden yourself, but not great for the environment. The water doesn't necessarily go where it's supposed to, and the sprinkler uses more water than necessary.
4. Use mulch to cut down on water use and control weeds.
5. Use broken crockery (sometimes found in garden centres) as drainage in the bottom of pots.

RePlayGround has long been looking for fun, engaging ways to promote recycling in consumer culture. ReMake Its!, the innovative company's new line of products, taps into the DIY spirit while encouraging recycling and providing a foundation for easy-to-make gifts and entirely unique accessories. The ReMake Its! line currently features a bottle lamp, a wine cork trivet, and envelopes and stationary you make from old magazines. And the personal involvement is the best part—the ReMake Its! provide the base and the template, and you complete the product by recycling everyday items into cool, useful wares.

Take the lamp, for example: it comes with only a simple, stylish base and a wire frame. But after you collect and recycle six standard glass bottles of soda or beer and throw in a CFL bulb, you’ve got yourself a personalized, one-of-a-kind glass bottle lamp that’ll add both light and character to your living room.

Tiffany Threadgould, the founder and brains behind RePlayGround, last showed up on TreeHugger in order to show us how to make our own ball toss-and-catchers. Now, with the expanding ReMake Its line and ever-growing interest in recycling innovations, RePlayground is poised to become a prominent player on the eco-product scene.

Check out the RePlayGround website for more details on the ReMake Its. The site has a slew of other features, too—free DIY tips, a consistently updated blog, and an address where you can send your unneeded junk.

According to the American Marketing Association, green marketing is the marketing of products that are presumed to be environmentally safe. Thus green marketing incorporates a broad range of activities, including product modification, changes to the production process, packaging changes, as well as modifying advertising. Yet defining green marketing is not a simple task where several meanings intersect and contradict each other; an example of this will be the existence of varying social, environmental and retail definitions attached to this term.Other similar terms used are Environmental Marketing and Ecological Marketing.