*If you want to buy localish organic butter, then it will be wrapped in a non-degradable foil-like substance. The non-organic, far-flung butter is wrapped in waxed paper that goes directly into the compost bin.
*If you want to plant new trees and bushes you will create a ton of plastic waste from the pots. Cleaner air and a more attractive yard now or greater plastic waste and harmful contaminants spewing from the plastics factory?
*If you want to buy organic cream cheese so your son doesn't have an allergic reaction to the additives, then it will be packaged in potentially dangerous and non-recyclable # 5 plastic. The chemical-laden stuff comes in recyclable paper with a small layer of foil-like covering.
I run into examples like this everyday. If only my allergy-fog brain could make those ideas come to the front of the line.
After I ran my blog post I forwarded it off to the friendly people at Horizon Organics. I also included a brief note urging them to rethink their packaging. This is what I received back;
Thank you for your recent e-mail to Horizon Organic. We appreciate your interest in our company.
At this point there are no nation-wide recycling standards. Each state and jurisdiction has different recycling rules based on cost-effectiveness, quantities of the materials in circulation and regional differences.
We are an environmentally concerned company and will always strive to use the most earth-friendly packaging available. Your comments are appreciated and we will not rule out any future changes, but at this point we feel that we are using the most environmentally friendly and cost effective packaging for our products.
Thanks again for contacting the Consumer Affairs Department.
Sincerely,
Metcy Betancourt
Consumer Response Representative
Gee Metcy, thanks for the canned reply. I wonder if my email will ever get beyond Metcy and to people who can actually make changes.
What can't I have my cake and eat it too???
Of course that would be a big slice of fairly traded chocolate cake made locally with all organic ingredients. And I would eat it with my hands which are completely reusable.
