Thursday, March 08, 2007

Plastic Hell

I HATE packaging! What IS it with companies that makes them think that they need to triplewrap everything in uber tight adult proof seals??

I am slowly putting my "holiday-head" on, you know, the "we are sitting here in the remnanats of snow but I have to think about temperatures in the desert" kind of thoughts and starting to pull out the kid's summer clothes etc and so each year when we fly I pack a couple of "surprises" in their backpacks along with colouring books and word searches, that hopefully will give them something new and novel to play with on the journey, nothing expensive I suppose, if you like - cheap tat! But, it occupies them and then they have something to play with on holiday.
But it overwhelms me that there is this need for two layers of plastic, one layer of cardboard and then a load of wire ties or cotton to hold everything in place. At the end of the day, the packaging costs more than the toy!

Another minor irritation I have with unecessary crap is charities that think that if they send me a useless pen that will write just long enough for me to sign my name on their donation form, I will give them money? No, I will send their pen back and give to a charity that doesn't waste my donation on gimmicks. I remember once having this discussion with someone who worked for a charity and apparently the research behind it is that they (the charities) believe that more people will sign the donation forms if there actually is a pen to hand........I think many people will actually do the opposite. I prefer to send my money to a charity I believe in that doesn't fill my mail box with forms, pens, free bags, post-it-notes with my name on etc etc. My donation would be worth double without the sweetner.

There was a news item in Green Parent this Feb/March issue encouraging people to leave their unecessary food packaging at the checkout. Who needs aubergines heat sealed in cardboard trays, or, this one I love (not!) apples set out in carton holders of four, each in their own individual little dip, somewhat like eggs, then heat sealed, for me to then take home to my house (this is hypothetical people!!), take OUT of the plastic and then bin my plastic packaging in a plastic bin liner because.......guess what, it isn't recyclable plastic........aggghhh!

Come on people, get over it, it is time to fight back and remove all this plastic from the shelves, do you think it is making your fruit and veg TASTE better, of course it isn't........get out your shopping trolleys and string bags......break the cycle, if we, as consumers don't show companies that we really don't need this, it ain't gonna change.


Phew, rant over!

From a plastic perspective
The Beehive

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