Waste Not, Want Not

The better job you do of conserving resources today, the greater the chance those resources will be there for you, your children and your grandchildren. That's why we should all make an effort to reduce, reuse and recycle. Consumers reuse boxes, bottles and bags all the time. They recycle newspapers, cans, glass, and plastics. But what about the "other R"-Reduce? How can you reduce the amount of waste your household generates?

You can start at the grocery store. To help you shop with an eye toward reducing waste, the National Consumers League worked with the School of Packaging at Michigan State University to look at more than 250 everyday products that come in a variety of packages. The researchers compared packages on the basis of weight and volume of packaging material relative to the amount of product contained in the package.

Using these market basket comparisons, a family that buys the most efficient forms of packaging would produce one-fifth of the waste than would a family using the least efficient packages.

What Makes Waste?

Next time you go to the grocery store, be on the lookout for these causes of waste:

Buying more than you need or can use. Fruits and vegetables spoil. Bread and cereal get stale. Milk goes sour. As a rule, you generate less packaging waste when you buy products in larger quantities. However, if you buy more than you can use or store, you waste the energy and resources that went into making packaging and transporting the unused product.

Buying products with inefficient packaging. Manufacturers use packaging to contain and protect products during shipping and to keep perishable items fresh and healthful. But when a product is offered in a variety of packaging, you should look for the option that generates the least amount of waste for your lifestyle.

The bottom line? Try to buy the most product in the least packaging possible to suit your needs.

Brand Loyalty and Waste Reduction
If the makers of your favorite brands use less efficient packaging than some of their competitors, let them know! Many manufacturers offer toll-free numbers for customer comments. You can also send them a message by choosing the more efficiently packaged product.

Tips for Consumers
Modern packaging is designed to address a variety of product and lifestyle considerations. This means you have to identify efficient packaging on a case-by-case basis. Consider how and where you use the product before you identify the appropriate package.

Michigan State University's packaging comparisons suggest the following general guidelines for waste-conscious shopping:

1) The most efficient packages tend to use a single piece of packaging rather than multiple components.

2) Flexible packages-such as bags, pouches and wraps-often can deliver more product with less packaging.

3) Buying products in large "economy sizes" generates less packaging waste than "single-service" items, as long as you don't buy more than you need or can use.

4) Concentrated products, such as juices and cleaning agents, require less packaging than the diluted, ready-to-use versions.