The Living Principles | Blog | Define the Solution (and the Problem Takes... http://www.livingprinciples.org/define-the-solution-and-the-problem-take...

Sign in or Join the Living Principles

About Features Talks Forum Framework Resources Events Community Article

by Wendy Jedlička on Sunday, August 8, 2010 in Features

“Sustainability? That’s that greeny thing, right?” a packaging engineer of 20-plus years remarked to me in a
meeting. “Green?” I replied. “If you mean green like money, yeah. If you mean green like all squishy,
kumbaya — hardly. It’s about creating a solution that will let the customer feel good about their product
choices — reinforcing brand loyalty — by keeping the buyer and eliminating the remorse. It’s about making
products that don’t make us sick to produce, own, or dispose of. It’s about restoring — putting back resources
we’ve just been blasting through. And it’s not about making just more things, but creating systems and
solutions that are longterm and forward thinking.” I managed all that in one breath.

These are some pretty bold words — especially in an industry that accounts for a full third of the
wastestream. Yet these are the very concepts that the Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) is looking to
tackle. We already know the problems, so their first step is to define the solution.

The SPC points out: “The purpose of this project is to take the important first step in articulating an
agreed-upon definition of the term ’sustainable packaging’ so that all parties are working toward the same
vision. By providing a common framework, the packaging industry can evaluate current efforts, identify
opportunities and begin to pursue strategies to develop sustainable packaging materials and systems.”

The definition concept is a remarkably simple one: Work with the Earth’s systems rather than continually try
to reinvent the wheel. The planet’s been designing and building products and systems for millions and millions
of years, using a cradle-to-cradle approach (b0rrow it, use it, recover it, and borrow it again) — vs. man’s
cradle-to-grave (take it, make it, use it, chuck it). So why do we think we can run off and do better in the few
hundred years we’ve been at industrial-level effort? The straight answer is, of course we can’t.

So, what would Gaia do?

The criteria for Sustainable Packaging are clearly defined, and ask these simple questions:

Does it make us (or the planet) sick? Don’t do it!

Can we use renewable resources (energy as well as substrates) — and then use them again without
going back to virgin sources?
Are we doing it efficiently? (This applies to all costs — logistics, materials use, recyclability, etc.)

1 of 5 9/12/2010 5:34 AM
The Living Principles | Blog | Define the Solution (and the Problem Takes... http://www.livingprinciples.org/define-the-solution-and-the-problem-take...

Are all components doing what they’re supposed to do—Protect/Inform/Sell, with maybe an added
bonus of restoring some of the resources we’ve already wasted as well as increase positive consumer
perception?

These criteria blend broad sustainability objectives with business considerations and strategies that address
the environmental concerns, related to the lifecycle of any manmade product. In addition, they relate to the
activities of the Coalition’s membership, and define areas in which they actively seek to encourage
transformation, optimization, and innovation. Going further, th Coalition’s members believe that by
successfully addressing these criteria, packaging can be transformed into a cradle-to-cradle flow of packaging
materials, in a system that is economically robust and that provides benefit throughout the lifecycle: a
sustainable packaging system.

Some of the biggest complaints have been, “We’ll never be able to do all of this,” “This is too expensive,”
“My competitors won’t do it and if I try they’ll undercut me” — all of this might be true, if a single company
tried to change all of their system all at once. But the realities of how we do what we do provide natural
opportunities for all players to improve or update systems as part of their normal modus operandi.

The criteria constitute an end-goal — not the Ten Commandments. As we begin new products, or look to
improve our systems, the criteria provide a benchmark against which to measure our efforts. Sometimes we’ll
hit all the marks, sometimes just a few. But in every case the movement is always forward.

In today’s ever more competitive market, it’s the player who looks several moves ahead who will capture the
greatest advantage, profitability, and market share — not the companies stagnating in short-term thinking.

To read more about the forward-thinking companies involved in the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, to
become a member yourself, or to understand more about sustainability, cradle-to-cradle in action, as well as
download the full criteria PDF, stop by their ever expanding website, sustainablepackaging.org.

Article first appeared in Package Design Magazine, April 2006, Sustainablity Update. Reprinted with
permission.

Wendy Jedlicka, CPP— Jedlicka Design Ltd., o2 International Network for Sustainable Design, Minneapolis
College of Art and Design’s groundbreaking Sustainable Design Certificate Program. Books: Packaging
Sustainability and Sustainable Graphic Design.

Thumbnail image via Package Design Magazine.

Originally published on Package Design Magazine

No Likes
Like
No CommentsAdd Comment
No Bookmarks
Email Print

Share

Flag as spam /offensive

Post a new comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.

2 of 5 9/12/2010 5:34 AM
The Living Principles | Blog | Define the Solution (and the Problem Takes... http://www.livingprinciples.org/define-the-solution-and-the-problem-take...

About the Author

Wendy Jedlička
Member

With a strong background in design, manufacturing and business, Wendy Jedlička, CPP, is an IoPP Certified
Packaging Professional, and president of Jedlička Design Ltd. — a packaging design and strategic business
and marketing consultancy specializing in sustainable design and supply chain ...

Wendy Jedlička's Website:

http://wendyjedlicka.com

Member Since
Jun 2010

Recent Activity

Katie Kerr commented on the post Certifiable: The Big Picture Sep 8 2010

Jess Sand commented on the post Applying LEED Principles to Graphic Design Aug 29 2010

Erin Williams commented on the post Applying LEED Principles to Graphic Design Aug 26 2010

Frederick Miller commented on the post Applying LEED Principles to Graphic Design Aug 20 2010

Jon Mannon commented on the post Recycled Newspapers for Interior Design Let You Read Between
the Walls Aug 16 2010

Related Content

Nourishing Enterprises: A Farmers’ Market Sustainability Success Story

3 of 5 9/12/2010 5:34 AM
The Living Principles | Blog | Define the Solution (and the Problem Takes... http://www.livingprinciples.org/define-the-solution-and-the-problem-take...

SHIFT 4: Engaging Presentations on Sustainable Design Thinking

The Little Card That Changed an Industry

Finding Financial Value in Social Responsibility

Dutch Designer Revives Recycled Paper

Marketing to Consumers: Don’t Think Green

About
Community Guidelines
Contact Us
Press Kit
Site Credits

The Living Principles

Except where otherwise noted, content on this site is licensed under a Creative Commons
Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.

Site by Tomorrow Partners

Post
Feedback

Sign In / Register

Already registered?
Please sign in.

4 of 5 9/12/2010 5:34 AM
The Living Principles | Blog | Define the Solution (and the Problem Takes... http://www.livingprinciples.org/define-the-solution-and-the-problem-take...

Username

Password

Forgot your password or username?

The Living Principles

Log In
Sign Up
Visit
Random Member
Random Group

5 of 5 9/12/2010 5:34 AM