International - Bulletproof Packaging Punishes Consumers

The problem with the increasing use of packaging in electronic goods, annoys every kind of customer.
We're fed up with impenetrable packaging. We've all experienced those oyster-like packing materials, where even the sharpest knife in the drawer won't put a dent in them. Then you get out the industrial-strength pruning shears, make a few cuts, and the result? Shards of plastic that are sharper than a scalpel. The folks at Wired have put together a diatribe about the status of consumer electronics packaging today, and it's a satisfying read:

From Psyclone electronics cables encased in impenetrable layers of thick plastic to DigiPower camera batteries coated with packaging several times the size of the item itself, the hardest part of buying electronics these days is opening the products when you get them home. In many cases, it makes solving Halo 2 seem like a kindergarten project.

In honor of this packaging nightmare, Consumer Reports has created the annual Oyster Awards, shaming the creators of the hardest-to-open packages. It's no wonder hospital emergency rooms report significant increases in deep lacerations from product packaging during the week after Christmas. Sure, product manufactures want to make it so that products are hard to shoplift, but this is getting ridiculous. Commenters, any packaging horror stories?

Extracted from Gizmodo

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Australia - 3 billion plastic bags cut

The Australian Minister for the Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, today praised supermarket shoppers and operators for cutting three billion plastic bags from circulation during the past two years. He said a report compiled by the Australian National Retailers Association, representing major supermarkets, showed that by the end of last year supermarkets had reduced their annual use of lightweight, single-use bags by 45 per cent compared with 2002.

"This is an enormous achievement by shoppers and supermarket management and a clear demonstration of a behavioural change by thousands of Australians," Senator Campbell said. "The cutback means fewer bags in the litter stream. The goal must be to stop plastic bags getting into the litter stream and spoiling Australia's environment. The initiatives introduced by supermarkets to cut back on the number of bags issued, the eagerness of shoppers to be part of the campaign and the take-up of re-usable bags have all contributed to this win for the environment. It is important to bear in mind that this outstanding result came from entirely voluntary action - no regulations, no levies or additional costs to shoppers. There will be some predictable complaints that the 50% reduction goal was missed and therefore the campaign failed. While 50% would have been better, 45% is still an outstanding result and it would be nonsense to portray it otherwise. I am delighted that the major supermarkets are committed to achieving the 50% goal by the end of this year".

From RRF news

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US - Wired article

The computer magazine WIRED, has an article on "The Next Green Revolution", read it, is interesting to see how the green issue is going to all sectors. One of the paragraphs mentions the efficiency of resource and wasting less:

"Efficiency creates value. The number one US industrial product is waste. Waste is worse than stupid; it's costly, which is why we're seeing businesspeople in every sector getting a jump on the competition by consuming less water, power, and materials. What's true for industry is true at home, too: Think well-insulated houses full of natural light, cars that sip instead of guzzle, appliances that pay for themselves in energy savings."

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