Packaging Waste: Impact and Actions that Must Be Taken - Essay Example

As a means of integrating the understanding of this reality, as well as seeking to provide a handful of prescriptions for how this shipping/packaging waste can be lessened, the following analysis will integrate with the issue itself, the global trends that are implemented within the current world, and a review of several key recycling programs that can be utilized not only as a means of reducing the solid waste that builds up throughout the nation’s landfills but also providing monetary incentives that are cost positive for inducing recycling.  By such an analysis, the reader can come to an understanding of the profound importance that this has and its relevance to the fate of the environment. 

Even a cursory analysis of the issue promotes the understanding that the nature of the current world has created a situation through which the overall level of trade in the overall level of domestic and international shipping between great partners and individual consumers is unlikely to decrease anywhere in the near future. Conversely, it is reasonable to expect that within the near future trade and international shipping will only increase. As a result of this reality, it is neither realistic nor profitable to the economy or the individual consumer, to place a level of restrictions upon the overall volume of trade it takes place from one part of the world/one part of the country to another. However, with this being said, placing certain restrictions upon the way in which packing material is represented throughout the market is a reasonable and viable approach. For instance, in the drive to reduce the amount of landfill mass that shipping packaging generates, one effective approach that could be engaged would be to require any and all shipping operations that integrate with the economy of the world to initiate levels of standardization with regards to the type and content shipping containers/packaging that are utilized (Lucia 1408). This level of standardization is not only helpful with regards to reducing the overall impact upon landfill mass, but it also has the tangential benefit of being able to increase the levels of recycling that exist within the system. For instance, whereas shipping and packaging entities might be tempted to integrate with a particular design/content due to the fact that it represents a lower cost, by creating a level of standardization and elaborating upon what types of materials can be mixed and utilized within these packages, the overall recyclability of the content can be infinitely increased.

Another method that can be engaged to great effect is with regards to incentivizing the recycling of this packaging material. One of the realities that can quickly be denoted from the information that is thus far been presented is the fact that this packaging material is perennially and in demand and actually commands a rather high price on the open market. Accordingly, in order to incentivize packaging recycling, several different programs could be effected that would allow individuals to gain a monetary benefit from such a process. Within the current system, no monetary incentive exists; even worse, individuals merely dispose of the packaging material, regardless of its different content and type, by throwing it away (Bowling 7). This particular process is both wasteful and serves to harm the economy by filling out the landfills of the nation with content that could otherwise be utilized and/or repurposed for a variety of other uses.

The issue of packaging waste is not only one that impacts the overall aesthetic environment; it also has a profound level of impact with regards to the habitat that various species around the world are able to enjoy.  Moreover, the packaging waste that is generated is oftentimes consumed by animals and leads to traumatic early deaths in a variety of different land and sea species.  As such, it is incumbent upon individuals throughout the society to realize the fact that this trend of waste and disposal is non-sustainable and not only has a very negative level of impact with regards to the beautify of extant land and the use thereof; it also has a negative impact with regards to the extant wildlife and multitude of different species that exist around the globe.  Ultimately, this is not a regional problem, it is something that is global in nature and must be addressed at a global level. 

Eliminating waste throughout society is not an issue that can be solved overnight. Rather, it will require a host of different stakeholders cooperating and seeking out unique solutions to many of the current issues that the global economy faces. However, if individuals become aware of the impacts that their actions are having and have viable alternatives to seeking to lessen their overall impact, as well as possible incentives for pursuing such a course of action, the overall range and extent to which the problem will continue to be exhibited within the future is almost certain to be decreased.