Knowing I work on sustainable packaging issues, a friend recently mentioned the phenomenon of people saving their Apple packaging. Like, saving it FOR YEARS. Initially I dismissed the idea, but when I thought about the people I know who have Macs, I realized it’s an actual habit not seen in PC-users. My in-laws, who otherwise religiously get rid of everything, still have their Mac box. Even here at the office, we recently found a Mac box, tucked away in a little-used corner, from an employee who has been gone for years!
Full disclaimer–I am a happy PC user, though I do own several other Apple products. But I can attest to the fact that I have not saved the packaging. I’m proud of my decluttering efforts, and years spent in a one-bedroom apartment always made my decision easy when considering whether to keep bulky boxes or not. So what is going on here?
Why would people save these particular boxes and not others? Is it that the packaging is beautiful and so people don’t want to throw it away? Perhaps it’s a way of proudly displaying aspects of personality or lifestyle in the way a person’s bookshelves or art do? A quick poll around the office produced the idea that Apple products have a resale value and so the original box could come in handy when it comes time to sell them. In fact, forget selling the computers–there is a whole section of eBay where you can buy empty Apple boxes. Amazing.
My personal opinion about Apple packaging is that it is really not any better, from a sustainability perspective, than any other electronics packaging. Though Apple does consider efficient packaging design, which its website says “not only reduces materials and waste, it also helps reduce the emissions produced during transportation,” I have noticed Apple packaging often contains a lot of components, many of which are not recyclable. The texture, the graphics, the experience–none of these give me enough reason to want to save that box. I just don’t understand this phenomenon! Can anyone out there enlighten me? And tell me, why have the other electronics companies not followed suit to enhance their own packaging’s desirability?
Month: January 2013
Categories
My Top Sustainability Wishes for 2013
Happy New Year, In-the-Loop readers! In lieu of a resolution, I would like to start 2013 by sharing some of my top sustainability wishes for 2013:
Designing for Success
I look forward to seeing continued successes in targeting sustainability during the design phase. GreenBlue continues to work to make this process clear and easy so companies can understand the implications of their design decisions and materials they work with. At GreenBlue, 2013 will see the development of existing and creation of new resources across packaging, sustainable materials, and forest products.
Global Collaboration
Success in global collaboration and international policy was largely absent in 2012. As reported in GreenBiz, failures at Rio+20 and the Doha Climate Change conference were themes in their greatest frustrations of 2012 interviews. It’s a lofty wish for national and international policy, but one that I hope for every year.
Tackling the Big Scary “E”
No doubt Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a hot button in the packaging and recovery communities. The issues are complex, the space is crowded, and the opinions vary. Not to mention the complexities added by existing and incongruent EPR programs, bottle bills, landfill bans, and other legislation. I hope that all parties can come together, outside of industry silos and have frank conversations that get to the heart of the problem: effective and efficient product and packaging recovery.
More Corporate Champions
Nothing is more exciting than contagious success.
