Environmental awareness has gone from the fringe to the mainstream. Consumers are realizing the Earth is small and fragile and must be protected from the excesses of their own consumption.
Customers don’t just judge your company on the quality of products it makes. They are also judging it on how much waste is generated doing so — from the manufacturing to the packaging of the final product.
The Race to Reduce
The biggest companies are aware. McDonald’s has launched a global goal to have 100 percent of its packaging come from renewable, recycled, or certified sources by 2025.
Although this is a laudable goal, the problem is that recycling is no longer the solution it once seemed to be. In the U.S., recycling efforts are falling short in their goal to reduce waste going into landfills as demand for recyclable products fades abroad, according to BuzzFeed:
The U.S.’s trash is only becoming more problematic as China, which receives a lot of our recyclable material and turns it into new stuff, this year started banning imports of certain types of plastic and mixed paper in an effort to back away from its position as the world’s trash dump. Already, recycling has started to pile up.
Don’t Bury the Problem
Manufacturers have to assume that any waste they produce will end up cluttering landfills. It falls upon them reduce the amount of materials used in packaging and manufacturing products on the front-end. Keep in mind, these initiatives are not just good for the environment. Reducing trash is good PR.
Consumers want to know your company is doing the right thing by reducing waste. It will benefit you to let them know. An experienced environmental public relations agency can help get the word out about the steps you’re taking to reduce the burden on the environment.
Let Us Help
The team of experts at Orange Orchard is ready to help spread the good word about your company, big or small. We’ll champion your eco-friendly products and help generate the visibility your business deserves. Contact us online or at 865-977-1973.