Question
New Reuse Models to Help Reduce Plastic Packaging
Many Americans have already made the switch from disposable plastic water bottles and plastic shopping bags to reusable ones, but there are limits to the amount of plastic packaging that we can easily cut out of our lives. When we buy takeout food, groceries, and many other products, we often end up with the plastic containers or wrappers in which they are sold. Some companies are trying to change this by introducing new models for selling goods in reusable packaging.
In the past two years, several plastic waste-free grocery delivery services were launched. Through these services, customers can go online and order groceries, which are delivered in reusable containers. After using the product, the consumer returns the packaging to be cleaned and refilled. One of the companies offering zero-waste grocery shopping works with consumer goods companies to sell brand-name products in reusable packages both online and in participating stores. Customers pay a refundable deposit for a reusable container when they purchase products like ice cream, cereal, mouthwash, or detergent. This is not a completely new concept. In fact, two of these companies describe their systems as being inspired by the old-fashioned “milkman model,” in which milk was delivered in glass bottles that were picked up and reused.
Zero-waste grocery delivery services offer a promising model for reducing our reliance on plastic packaging, but they are not yet a viable option for all Americans. Currently, these grocery services are only available in limited areas around the country and there are additional costs associated with these services, which could prevent some consumers from using them.
Around the world, we are seeing a proliferation of new reuse models, which are described in detail in a 2019 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and New Plastics Economy. Though reusable containers are not always a viable alternative to disposable packaging, these innovations are enabling producers and consumers to rethink the role of disposable plastic packaging in our supply chains and provide alternatives when possible.
The availability of cheap and versatile plastic packaging has influenced the way we transport, sell, and consume goods as well as the systems we have created to manage our waste. No single solution will fix our massive plastic waste problem. Instead, slowing the flow of plastic waste into the oceans requires dramatic changes to the way we produce, use, recycle, dispose of, and value plastic. Innovations in sustainable packaging materials have the potential to be a part of the solution, but only if they are coupled with large-scale efforts to reduce the amount of packaging that we use.
You can learn more about how you can take action in your home and community to keep trash out of waterways by visiting the Trash Free Waters website.
This article is the third in a series produced by EPA’s Trash-Free Waters program and the National Environmental Education Foundation. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
Rethinking Plastic Packaging Solve the Plastic Waste Crisis?, Environmental Protection Agency, September 21 , 2020
Question
Use the article “Rethinking Plastic Packaging – How Can Innovation Help Solve the Plastic Waste Crisis?” and the video to answer the question.
Shoppers in San Francisco may get a twist on that old checkout line question if the city approves a ban on plastic grocery bags later this month_Transcript
Compared to the article, how does the video convey a dramatic tone?
(1 point)
Responses
by offering a series of solutions
by offering a series of solutions
by citing a variety of statistics
by citing a variety of statistics
by showing images of plastic pollution
by showing images of plastic pollution
by including emotional interviews
Many Americans have already made the switch from disposable plastic water bottles and plastic shopping bags to reusable ones, but there are limits to the amount of plastic packaging that we can easily cut out of our lives. When we buy takeout food, groceries, and many other products, we often end up with the plastic containers or wrappers in which they are sold. Some companies are trying to change this by introducing new models for selling goods in reusable packaging.
In the past two years, several plastic waste-free grocery delivery services were launched. Through these services, customers can go online and order groceries, which are delivered in reusable containers. After using the product, the consumer returns the packaging to be cleaned and refilled. One of the companies offering zero-waste grocery shopping works with consumer goods companies to sell brand-name products in reusable packages both online and in participating stores. Customers pay a refundable deposit for a reusable container when they purchase products like ice cream, cereal, mouthwash, or detergent. This is not a completely new concept. In fact, two of these companies describe their systems as being inspired by the old-fashioned “milkman model,” in which milk was delivered in glass bottles that were picked up and reused.
Zero-waste grocery delivery services offer a promising model for reducing our reliance on plastic packaging, but they are not yet a viable option for all Americans. Currently, these grocery services are only available in limited areas around the country and there are additional costs associated with these services, which could prevent some consumers from using them.
Around the world, we are seeing a proliferation of new reuse models, which are described in detail in a 2019 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and New Plastics Economy. Though reusable containers are not always a viable alternative to disposable packaging, these innovations are enabling producers and consumers to rethink the role of disposable plastic packaging in our supply chains and provide alternatives when possible.
The availability of cheap and versatile plastic packaging has influenced the way we transport, sell, and consume goods as well as the systems we have created to manage our waste. No single solution will fix our massive plastic waste problem. Instead, slowing the flow of plastic waste into the oceans requires dramatic changes to the way we produce, use, recycle, dispose of, and value plastic. Innovations in sustainable packaging materials have the potential to be a part of the solution, but only if they are coupled with large-scale efforts to reduce the amount of packaging that we use.
You can learn more about how you can take action in your home and community to keep trash out of waterways by visiting the Trash Free Waters website.
This article is the third in a series produced by EPA’s Trash-Free Waters program and the National Environmental Education Foundation. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
Rethinking Plastic Packaging Solve the Plastic Waste Crisis?, Environmental Protection Agency, September 21 , 2020
Question
Use the article “Rethinking Plastic Packaging – How Can Innovation Help Solve the Plastic Waste Crisis?” and the video to answer the question.
Shoppers in San Francisco may get a twist on that old checkout line question if the city approves a ban on plastic grocery bags later this month_Transcript
Compared to the article, how does the video convey a dramatic tone?
(1 point)
Responses
by offering a series of solutions
by offering a series of solutions
by citing a variety of statistics
by citing a variety of statistics
by showing images of plastic pollution
by showing images of plastic pollution
by including emotional interviews
Answers
Answered by
GPT-4o mini
The video conveys a dramatic tone **by showing images of plastic pollution**. Visual imagery of plastic waste often creates an immediate emotional response and highlights the severity of the issue, making the problem more tangible and urgent for viewers.
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