About eight million tonnes of plastic enters the ocean every year. At this rate, it is estimated that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. You may also have heard the heartbreaking news of sea turtles that have ingested plastic and found washed ashore with its body wrapped in plastic. Isn’t this very concerning? The environment is crying out for our help and there is no better time for us to take action than now. 

Given the urgency, many companies have stepped up their efforts on reducing plastics in every way possible. Big chain hotels are providing alternatives to plastic bottles by setting up fresh water stations or providing reusable bottles. Food establishments are banning plastic straws or switching to biodegradable straws, and many restaurants are starting to use green packaging like compostable disposables (plates, bowls, cups) and biodegradable cutleries that are more friendly to the environment and sustainable for our future.

So what is green packaging actually? How do we define it? It is the use of materials and manufacturing methods for the packaging of goods that has low impact on both energy consumption and the environment. There are few key elements, as seen below, that help determine how sustainable/green packaging is defined.