Mention of biodegradable popcorn packaging material seems pretty ridiculous to me particularly considering that there aren't many things more biodegradable than real popcorn. I've got an old hot air popper that I picked up from a garage sale for $5, so any time I need to mail a fragile package, I buy a bag of the cheapest kernels I can find (about $1), and pop just enough to cushion what I'm sending. This is advantageous for me because I can buy it at any grocery store and many convenience stores and don't have to waste storage space on a big bag of styrofoam peanuts. When the package reaches its destination, the recipients can discard the stale popcorn into the waste stream where it will readily decompose in their local landfill, mix it into their compost pile for use as fertilizer, or simply or throw it in the yard for the birds. The only disadvantages I can see are that items packed in real popcorn for long periods may attract rodents and as popcorn ages, it becomes softer and looses some of its cushioning ability, which makes it impractical to reuse.
For commercial and retail products, thoughtful package design using molded paper or die-cut corrugated inserts are the most environmentally responsible. -BRAH -----Original Message----- From: murdoch [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 1:17 PM To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [biofuel] Bio-derived Packaging? Thank you for these informative responses. On a broader note, I think the issue of biodegradeable popcorn packaging is important, but is also only the tip of the iceberg. We all buy "things" for ourselves, and those things come packaged in some ways. Surely that packaging could be done "better", with more thought given to its useability and degradeability. It seems in the nature of this purchase-use-dispose process that the best time to make sure disposal is handled in an environmentally and socially and financially advantageous fashion is at the start of the process, when you can think ahead until the end. When I buy something, ultimately I have to pay for and arrange for its disposal and disposal of all associated packaging and parts. So, I am buying an obligation to think ahead on these things, and if something is packaged in a way that makes this easier and better for me at the end, perhaps it would improve the chances that I would buy it over a competitor. These packaging considerations include everything from the wrapping on a package of bologna to the boxing and cushioning in the box of a large new TV to average everyday plastic (presently) throw-away wrappings of hardware parts or what-not. A night or two ago I saw an interesting science discussion where they pointed out that an ocean research expedition had started to notice and study the massive amounts of plastics floating in an area of the Northern Pacific where the water flows tend to trap debris. It was an eye-opening reminder that in some cases we have failed to devise proper "exit strategies" for our goods and our packages of our goods. MM On Mon, 5 Jan 2004 13:21:31 -0600, you wrote: >And, if you identify that your packing peanuts are cornstarch instead >of styrofoam, if you don't re-use them be sure to melt them in a >small amount of water rather than put them in a landfill. > >>In a message dated 1/4/04 4:22:28 PM Pacific Standard Time, >>[EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: >> >>> Does anyone have any views or information they want to share on bio >>> packaging? >>> The term in use seems to be "biodegradable packaging". Is it helpful in >>> funneling one's household products into biofuel production? Other pros or >>> cons? >>> >> >>Popcorn used to be used as fill. In the days of Florence Nightengale, millet >>was used to pack whiskey bottles sent to the front by a benfactor. The >>millet came at the right time to be use for food for the starving wounded. >>Finally, some packaging today is made of cornstarch. You can >>literally pop them into >>your mouth and eat them. >> >>-- Jay [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Biofuels list archives: http://archive.nnytech.net/index.php?list=biofuel Please do NOT send Unsubscribe messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biofuel/ To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
