It's been a busy week at Hoopla Traders, where we are working on a number of fronts to make our business more earth-friendly. We have always used recycled office paper, but now we are trying to find business cards, stationery, and shopping bags that are more friendly to the planet.
The challenge: we are an upscale retail boutique and good design is an important part of our image. Although we briefly considered using the new biodegradable plastic bags, our staff quickly nixed that idea. Who wants to buy a beautiful $200 organic skirt and put it in an ugly white plastic bag? So it was back to the drawing board, trying to distill the paper v. plastic debate and come up with a solution that will work for us.
The debate in a nutshell: Paper bags destroy lots of trees, but they are recyclable and will eventually break down in a landfill. Recycled paper is even better, especially if it is made of 100% post-consumer content. Plastic is a petroleum-based product that comes from oil. It does not require as much energy to make as paper, and it is easy to recycle, but it does not compost. Most bags, whether paper or plastic, will end their lives in a landfill.
It is a Hobson's choice, and the experts don't agree on which is better. But everyone agrees that reusable bags are far superior to either paper or plastic. In Australia, laws have been passed that require retailers to cut down on their use of plastic bags. Most retailers offer an incentive for consumers to bring their own.
So what is a socially responsible retailer to do? At Hoopla, we seem to be moving in the direction of paper bags with as much recycled post-consumer content as possible. We are also trying to find a printer who uses soy or vegetable based inks that are kinder to the environment. We have located some jewelry boxes that are 100% recycled and attractive at the same time! It's not perfect, but it's the best we can do until technology brings us a better alternative.
We also plan to offer customers the opportunity to buy reusable bags at an affordable price. Some of the best designs fold up into a small pouch that you can carry in your purse or backpack, so you are never without a bag. Together we can look attractive and still reduce our impact on the environment.
Please post a comment to let us know what you think!
For more info on the paper v. plastic debate, check the following links:
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