Friday, November 7, 2008

Frustration-free packaging

Let's hear it for Amazon! In a continued effort to go "green," Amazon.com has started working with manufacturers to supply products in mailable packaging. In other words, drop all that plastic  and styrofoam packaging that we grudgingly toss in the trash and look forward to solid   cardboard. 
Now, at present, this "Frustration-Free Packaging" (FFP) is only available on a certain toys and electronics, but the plan is to expand into an entire catalog of products in the coming years. We have a long way to go, but it seems that Amazon is hearing our complaints and is working towards a solution.

Click here to find out more about FFP through Amazon.
Click here to see what products are now offered in FFP.

On a similar note, we recently bought a cat feeder. We'd been talking about it for a couple years now, and Dave's sanity was in question as the cats were getting him up each morning at 4AM begging for food. Yeah, not going to work. So one particularly frustrating morning, Dave fed them then did a little early morning shopping. He found a really nice pet-feeder that got FABULOUS reviews and appeared to be well made (though it cost a small fortune). He decided to give it a shot (it was that or I was going to have to pay for a straight jacket and padded walls). It turns out, this thing ROCKS, but check this out - no disposable packaging! All the interior packaging was made of cardboard! It was all recyclable! 

Anyway, there's still a lot of waste involved in the packaging of the things we buy everyday, but it does appear that there are some efforts in the market to be more mindful. Stay on the look out. With the holidays coming, a greener purchase here and there can make a big difference. Check it out!

5 comments:

ttammylynn said...

I recycle cardboard on a daily basis, everyone in the grocery business does these days...the stores get paid a small amount of money for good, used cardboard bales. Personally, I prefer cardboard and paper packaging when I buy something...which can all be recycled, but I try not to buy large items very often(who can afford to?) Being out of the city limits means that trash pick-up is once a week and quite literally you can't afford to have too much trash because they only pick up so much. They don't pick up furniture or brush(some of which honestly goes to the fireplace), we have to go to the dump, recycle center, or just donate the item to someone who can use it(this is our preferred method, we have given away many used tvs, electronics, furniture and appliances--young people often love a large tv for example, even if it is on its last leg). Perhaps that is part of why I am such a packrat, I would rather save something for an opportunity to put it to good use rather than throw it away...but, a good trip to the mission may be in order soon, lol...sometimes it feels like I have everything but I would rather occasionally do without.

Jena said...

Thanks for the heads up! I really like the convenience of Amazon and I'm planning to order some green Christmas presents from them soon. Glad to see they're making an effort.

Michelle said...

Hell hath no fury like a hungry cat in the wee hours of the morning. Especially those pesky main coon cats - they are very vocal!

J said...

Hahahaha, hungry cats can be a bit of a nuisance. Our kitties have a "feeding time" and they are constantly underfoot until they are fed.

That is really good news about Amazon, I love to hear about these steps in the right direction. There is nothing more frustrating than getting a package that has so much Styrofoam and plastic. We've gotten so many packages where the amount on non-recyclable packaging far exceeds the the need for the size of the purchase.

hmd said...

ttammylynn - I'm really bad in the opposite way (the anti-packrat). I've moved so many times in my life, that I don't keep much around. A have a few things in our house that I brought with me, but most of the stuff here is Dave's and we've even gotten rid of a lot of that. I'm not exactly planning on moving anytime soon, but old habits die hard I suppose. I always worked towards only having enough stuff that I could move in my car. :)

jena - Me too! They have a long way to go, but I'm super pleased they are talking to manufacturers to respond to the consumer demand to be more green. Good luck with your shopping!

michelle - Actually it's not Tiny (the Maine Coon) that's the problem. It's his little sister Isabel (she was a feral - white with brown splotches, mixed something I imagine). She just wouldn't let him be. Her meow is more of a whisper, but she still can get your attention when you're trying to sleep - playing with blinds, banging doors, etc. Of course, then when we finally do get up, she wants to sleep. CATS!

jennifer - our cats were like that too (even in the afternoon) before feedings. We were feeding them between 5-6:00 and about 3:00, they would start bugging us. Now with the feeder, they don't give us any grief. They know someone else is feeding them now and if they hover, it's around the feeder. Score one for the parents!