Help heal the planet. Go compostable
Feed the Earth, Heal the Planet, Go compostable
Healing the Earth and building a successful business don’t have to exist in isolation. We’ve got the tools to help you do both.
Here’s how compostable packaging can help you build an eco-friendly business you can be proud of.
Here’s how compostable packaging can help you build an eco-friendly business you can be proud of.
Traditionally, and for a long time, we’ve operated as a linear economy. In an effort to keep costs low, we’ve sourced and manufactured the cheapest raw materials possible - usually fossil-based plastics. In making this type of packaging and product, we’ve given no thought at all to where it will end up. In most cases, landfill.
It’s a rubbish model (pardon the pun) that has only served to damage our environment and contribute to the climate crisis we now find ourselves in.
When you use compostable packaging, you now step into a circular economy. This is packaging made from plant-based materials that can live beyond the waste part of the cycle.
Think of it like the flow of water, from rain to rivers to oceans and back into the atmosphere. It’s a resource stream that creates nutrient-rich compost and improves our soil while sequestering carbon from the atmosphere.
It’s a total bargain for both you and the environment.
Let’s break it all down.
5 Ways Compostable Packaging Benefits the Environment
Compostable packaging is made from organic materials known as biomass such as sugar cane (check out our Sugarcane range of products here) wood pulp, corn starch or wheat straw that can be composted with other organic waste like food scraps. It’s packaging that, when composted correctly, can easily disintegrate into the earth, unlike traditional plastic.
This is packaging that works with the environment rather than against it. Packaging that is gentle on our planet and helps you play a part in healing the damage we’ve done as a human race.
1. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions
The organic waste that goes to landfill is starved of oxygen which causes it to release the greenhouse gas methane. Methane is 28 times more powerful than carbon dioxide at warming the Earth. There’s a lot more to it, but basically methane traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to this hothouse of a planet we’re now living on.
When we compost our food along with compostable packaging, we divert it from landfill and help to reduce these harmful emissions.
2. Reduces dependence on fossil fuels
Fossil-based plastics are stubborn and stick around for a long time, clogging up drain pipes and filling the bellies of sealife. These are toxic materials that are wreaking havoc on our ecosystems (and our own bodies!). Switching to plant-based materials which break down much more easily is a major plus for the planet.
3. Diverts waste from landfill
The Australian food industry generates over a million tonnes of organic waste, and most of it goes to landfill.
There’s a lot of talk about recycling but in most cases recycling doesn’t work with single-use food service items due to food contamination. This means the packaging and food waste end up in our general waste bins. Compostable packaging can be collected together with food scraps and composted, rather than dumped on the steaming pile of toxic rubbish that continues to grow and harm us all.
4. Not only c ompostable, but renewable too
Plant-based materials like bagasse, such as our Sugarcane Range, are both compostable and renewable. This means that instead of being burnt, they can be recovered and continue to be useful in the food service industry. After that, they can go to compost and add nutrients to the soil to help grow more plants! Perfect!
5. Creates nutrient-rich compost
Overpopulation and pollution are putting our ecosystems under extreme pressure. If we don’t take definitive action, it’s just going to get worse. Composting is one way we can make a positive impact and help restore some balance.
When we create compost, we set up a run-off effect which benefits soil, plants and animal life.
Here’s a few ways composting heals our planet:
✅ It reduces the need for chemical fertilisers which minimises water contamination in our rivers and marine environments.
✅ It strengthens the structure of the soil and helps plants grow.
✅ It pulls carbon from the atmosphere, promoting an abundance of microorganisms and fertile, productive soil.
Moving forward with your customers
“Nine in 10 Australian consumers are more likely to purchase ethical and sustainable products according to new research” (The Fifth Estate)
There’s a rise in conscious consumerism.
The climate crisis is everywhere we look. With devastating new statistics coming out almost every day, we can no longer bury our heads in the sand. People now want to know they are purchasing sustainable products that go easy on the planet.
The task in front of us seems massive. But we’re all in this together.
This is a joint venture.
When consumers and businesses come together with a common goal, we can do incredible things.
If we keep our eyes on the summit, if we stay on the trek for the Pinnacle - we can all enjoy the view of a better, healthier planet that benefits every single one of us.