Pointless Packaging has a simple mission: calling out companies and stores that create much more waste than necessary. It’s easy for consumers to be ignorant to how much plastic they’re purchasing, so this account aims to inform them of how they can make greener, more conscious choices. The Instagram’s bio states that, “We’re not going away until the packaging does,” and shares a link to a GreenPeace petition asking for grocery stores in the UK to ditch plastic packaging. “UK supermarkets currently generate 900,000 tonnes of plastic packaging every year,” the petition explains. “But our oceans can’t stomach any more plastic! From turtles entangled in six pack rings to whales with stomachs full of plastic bags, the effects of plastic pollution can be devastating.”
To help further the group’s cause, Pointless Packaging has shared hundreds of photos of unnecessarily wrapped pieces of produce and pre-packaged foods. Thankfully, the account has amassed over 32k followers, so there are many consumers passionate about reducing the world’s waste. But we still have a long way to go. Perhaps this list will even inspire you pandas to cut down on your own plastic usage and overall waste, every little bit helps!
If you’re wondering what the big deal is when it comes to plastic waste, Ines Gendre at Greenly Institute explained the issue in detail earlier this year. She noted that every “cycle” of plastic’s life is harmful for the environment, including the extraction of fossil fuels, plastic production, distribution of plastic products and the ways in which we dispose of plastic.
“The production process releases greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere, exacerbating human-induced climate change,” Gendre explains. “So, too, does the distribution side of the life cycle. As goods produced around the world are intended for international markets, more fossil fuels need to be burned to deliver the products.”
And unfortunately, as plastics seem to be everywhere nowadays, the ways they’re disposed of have become problematic as well. For example, the United States creates 34.5 million tons of plastic every year, yet only about 9% of it is recycled.
There doesn’t seem to be any perfect solution for disposing of plastic either. About 12% of it ends up being incinerated, but this is an environmental disaster as well, due to the fumes contributing to greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. And due to the fact that most long-lasting plastics take a staggering amount of time to decompose, up to 500 years, throwing them away is doing our planet a disservice. 40% of plastics are single-use, such as bags, straws, cups, plastic wrap on foods, etc., and are particularly damaging to our oceans.
“At the current rate of primary plastic production and disposal, plastic could outnumber fish in the ocean by 2050,” Gendre writes. “Many aquatic animals consume plastic, believing it to be prey. Plastic threatens ecosystems, lowers biodiversity, and can even change the flow of nutrients between plants and animals.”
When it comes to seeking solutions for the world’s harmful plastic use, it’s important for governments to have legislation in place that will limit or ban plastic production and distribution. The state of California recently passed a law eliminating all single-use plastics, and 10 years from now, all packaging in the Golden State will need to be recyclable or compostable. Canada has also passed a similar law, nation-wide, and aims to reach zero plastic waste by 2030. While these are great steps in the right direction, it’s important that these ideas spread worldwide.
If you’re wondering what you can do as an individual to help combat the impact that plastics are having on our planet, one route that many take is to start living zero or low-waste lifestyles. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average person produces a whopping 1.5 tons of solid waste per year, so any effort to reduce that impact can go a long way.
To learn more about what it’s like to go zero waste, Bored Panda reached out to Ariana Palmieri, the woman behind Greenify-Me. Ariana shares helpful tips and tricks for going zero waste in the least painful way possible, as well as information on why sustainability is so important. And lucky for us, she was happy to have a chat about how Greenify-Me began. “When I first started my blog, it was actually a green beauty blog,” Ariana shared. “I found myself accumulating a LOT of beauty products with ambiguous packaging. I didn't know how to recycle it, and sometimes I didn't even use the products.”
“So when I stumbled across the zero waste movement in 2017 and learned the average American generates ~4.9lbs of trash per day, it hit me that I was a part of that statistic. And I didn't want to be,” Ariana continued. “So I was inspired to make the switch to a more low waste lifestyle (and my blog has reflected that ever since). No lifestyle choice has ever resonated with me more!”
We also asked Ariana why she thinks grocery stores and companies are so determined to package products unnecessarily. “I think for grocery stores, a lot of it comes down to trying to extend the shelf life of their products,” the green expert shared. “Plastic wrap can preserve perishable food items beyond their natural life. While this does technically help prevent some food waste, most of it is still wasted if grocery stores don't meet their sell-by dates.”
“As for companies, I believe sometimes they think plastic-free packaging alternatives will be more expensive. For example, cornstarch peanuts that dissolve in water vs. styrofoam peanuts,” Ariana told Bored Panda. “But the truth is, companies can find ways to creatively package a product without excessive plastic and remain on a budget. Upcycling is a great solution. For example, using shredded newspaper, magazines or scrap paper to cushion their products is a cost-effective alternative. Or simply using smaller boxes to package products.”
