A packaging carbon footprint refers to the amount of pollution caused by not only the packaging you use, but also your manufacturing and transport process. It is used as a gauge to measure a company’s carbon emissions, and help them to reduce it in the future.
In order to calculate a carbon footprint, greenhouse gas emissions from production of packaging are taken into account. This includes the raw materials involved, as well as their design process. This is then added to the transportation of the raw materials, along with its ‘useful life’ and how the product is recycled afterwards.
Have you ever considered your company’s packaging carbon footprint? And how you could reduce it in the future? We’ve compiled five ways you can make a change to your carbon footprint, and they’re not as difficult as you might think…
Choose The Right Box Size
Picking a box size that suits the goods your packaging is a key way of reducing your carbon footprint. By doing this, you’re reducing wasted space within the box. You’re also creating more space within the transportation you’re using – meaning fewer journeys.
By taking the time to assess what packaging you need for specific products, you’re not only improving your carbon footprint – you’ll also likely save money. If you’d like to find out more regarding Royal Mail charges, take a look at our blog.
Pack Your Pallets
In the same token as the point above, learning to pack your pallets more efficiently can reduce storage costs. This can bring down your shipping costs too.
Tightly pack your boxes, and ensure you have no empty space within them. Making a variety of small changes like this can add up to extra layers on pallets, which quickly reduce transportation and shipping costs.
Ditch The Heavy Packaging
You’ll be amazed how much weight bulky packaging can add to your transportation costs! Evaluate the weight and size of the pallets you’re using. For example, could you replace your timber pallets with a lighter alternative?
Look at options such as plastic pallets which could potentially be a lot lighter, whilst still being practical enough to do the job.
Choose Sustainable Raw Materials
Most packaging is made up of paper, plastic or cardboard. There are simple changes you can make when picking your paper and cardboard. Choosing a product with FSC or PEFC certification can ensure the materials are sustainably sourced.
Due to the Plastic Tax which will come into effect from April 2022, it’s important to evaluate the amount of plastics you are using for your packaging. Take a look at our blog on getting ready for the introduction of Plastic Tax.
Select Suppliers That Are Environmentally Friendly
Springpack is incredibly committed to reducing its environmental impact. So much so that we have pledged to be carbon neutral before 2023. Can your current supplier match our commitment to the environment?
You can check out what we’re doing, by reading our blog, here.
If you would like further help on switching your packaging for an environmentally friendly version, get in touch with the Packaging Pro’s. Call us on 01905 457000 or email us on [email protected]. Don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel too!
