- Excessive Product Packaging
Summary-AVID Article Format
- Excessive packaging impacts the environment drastically, more eco-design should be used
- Flashy packaging is now standard in society, but more packaging = more resources used and more impact, more recycling difficulty as well
- Reducing amount of packaging will reduce CO2, waste and fuel use
- Government support needed; e.g. Japan has extensive environmental protocol that even goes past legal requirements (not like Hong Kong)
- Japan has packaging laws that limit a packages use of plastic by adding fees to manufacturing process
- Package attractiveness still reigns, more money on packaging
- Better graphic design in a simpler manner should be emphasized and popularized
- Biomaterials are considered expensive, but efficient use will make up for cost
- Depends on how innovative designers go, how much a of message they can convey
- Cost of materials will catch up to the companies, which will cause them to shift to better packaging
Summary
We've all seen flashy packaging that tries to catch the eye of the consumer, but we never really put any thought into how many materials are being wasted in the creation of these packages. Industries and company's are always looking for ways to increase sales, so most believe that flashy, eye-catching packaging is the way to go. However, this flashy packaging increases the difficulty of recycling as well as depletes resources and increases pollution, due to petroleum manufacturing. Experts have looked to countries such as Japan, where innovative design makes up for flashy images and promotions. Although the solution is already here, many companies refuse to shift to better design. Little do they know, that these packaging costs may catch up to them.
Reflection
I've always hated the clamshell packaging that companies use to package their goods, so I really hope that companies will shift to less difficult, and less obtrusive packaging that catches they eye at the same time. If more innovative design is used, less pollution will be apparent due to less petroleum packaging manufacturing (which emits harmful fumes and greenhouse gas emissions). So in reality, companies should hire better graphic designers, so their message can be heard and their products can become more competitive.