The Bite:
No kidding. For such a small piece of foam, packing peanuts are huge source of annoyance and waste. Keep your nutty reaction under control by reusing them (and bubble wrap too).
Do you have a violent reaction to peanuts - the polystyrene kind?
01.14.2008
Submitted by tmeronek on Mon, 01/14/2008 - 1:01am.
The Benefits:
- Saving cash. Saving them for future mailings costs less than paying for new packaging - and you can use the money to pay your allergist.
- Easy recycling. More than 1,500 places nationwide (such as most UPS Stores) will take 'nuts and bubble wrap off your hands.
- Fewer new peanuts. Places that collect used peanuts meet 50% of their packing-fill needs thanks to peanut donations.
- Bio and recycled options. If you must buy new box-fillers, go with eco-friendlier versions.
Personally Speaking:
Cricket has been known to chomp down the occasional biodegradable cornstarch packing peanut when no one's looking.
Wanna Try:
- Plastic Loose Fill Council - visit this site or call 800-828-2214 for the nearest packing-peanut drop spot.
- Custom Wrap Cellulose Wadding - recycled paper that works as a filler or wrap ($45/two 24-in-by-200-ft rolls).
- Sealed Air Bubble Wrap - bubble wrap made using partially recycled plastic ($5/12-in-by-10-ft roll).
- U-Haul Biodegradable Packing Peanuts - made from cornstarch, they're durable but will decompose in H2O ($5/1.5 cu ft).
- Virtual Bubblewrap - once you pop, you can't stop.
Cocktail Fact
OCD heaven: Bubble wrap was originally intended for use as textured wallpaper.
Bang For The Bite
If 10,000 Biters reuse a small box's worth of packing peanuts instead of buying new, we'll avert enough waste to fill 35 delivery trucks.
Tips Like This
11.20.2009
11.02.2009
Other Related Content
11.05.2009- 05.13.2009
Sign Up
Sign up for free, bite-size ideas for healthy, light green living, delivered to your inbox each weekday.
Post new comment