Day 1 - From the Sustainability in Packaging Conference

Who’s here.

The workshop room is packed and because of it, for once a conference room that’s not freezing. Attendance has nearly tripled since last year up from 100 to 300. Major corporations are here to teach and learn from each other how to improve packaging for sustainability. I’m seated next to a chemical engineer from DuPont. On the other side of her is Savannah Foods and behind me is Eclipse Film Technologies. According to the roster a sampling of who's filling some of the other tables are Proctor and Gamble, Exxon Mobil, Whole Foods Market, Cabot Creamery and Coca Cola.

Here are some factoids I’ve picked up so far:

• WalMart has the Power. A noticeable percentage of attendees are here to learn how they can achieve the requirements of WalMart's sustainability scorecard. The scorecard isn't perfect, sustainability experts agree, but it requires WM suppliers to assess their packaging materials and systems.

• The weight of the finished package is a major factor in determining the carbon footprint of the product. The heavier the product+ its packaging, the more fuel it requires to transport it. In the end, that fuel is what most effects the carbon footprint and the environment.
  

• Packaging milk and other drinks in a pouch instead of bottle seems like a good idea when weight and materials are the leading factors. They've been packaging drinks in pouches for years in the UK.
  

• Glass containers, because of their weight and transportation requirements, may result in a higher carbon footprint than a disposable container.

• The UK is proposing green labels on products giving the carbon footprint information on the product much like the nutritional information on food products.

• Consumer behavior can determine the eventual carbon footprint of bags provided by supermarkets. The value lies in how many times a bag is reused, says Gary Parker, LCA expert from Ciba Expert Services A plastic bag reused as a trash can liner will have a lower carbon footprint than the reuseable cloth bag if the consumer only uses the cloth bag one time. That's because more materials and energy went into making the cloth bag and by weight more fuel goes into transporting it.

More tomorrow.