The amount of packaging we use really concerns me, especially for short-term consumption. The amount of the plastic and paper cups, wrappers and bags that are handed out to hold something for 2 minutes before being thrown away is just astounding. And so pointless. Food places and pharmacies look at me like I”™m crazy when I say, “no bag” for a single item like an energy bar or a bottle of shampoo. And those bottles of shampoo, while used for longer than a couple minutes, are ultimately a lot of plastic to be disposed of.

Awhile back I was walking in to work and came across some folks handing out promotional single pieces of gum. The gum pieces were less than an inch square, in a single serving wrapper. That was placed on a four by six inch printed card. Then, the part that I find particularly appalling, those items were wrapped in clear plastic. What is the point of the clear plastic? The gum is already wrapped. It could simply be glued to the card. So the plastic is just sheer waste which will last for years and years buried in the landfill or blown out into the middle of the ocean.

The gum samples were being handed out three to five per person. Lots and lots of plastic being ripped open and thrown out for a single piece of gum.

There is some progress being made on the plastic front. San Francisco recently banned plastic bags from large grocery stores, then large pharmacies. They now use paper bags and bags made from corn, which are biodegradable and can be composted. It doesn”™t generally take long to find a clever solution to a problem, so long as companies and organizations are required to do so.