I spend a fair bit of time recycling each week, our stuff, office stuff and other people's litter I pick off the street or on my walks. The public litter issue I never see as a problem or an inconvenience - in fact I quite revel in the opportunity to ensure that a can or plastic bottle goes back into the system - as its previous owner is never likely to buy into the culture. I actually see it as a little gift from a stranger that I can claim for some good - and it makes my environment better.
What is a problem for me and more than an inconvenience for society, is insanely wasteful packaging. On to exhibit 1... Kraft's comically ill conceived container for their "Cafe Noir" instant coffee range. Its thick black lid is presumably the outcome of many design and research sessions, and it is a most abysmally wasteful use of oil and a certain landfill sustainer for a good few centuries henceforth.
I long for a day when corporate social responsibility at Kraft extends to decisions over packaging as well as commodity sourcing. Maybe this post will help shuffle them an inch or two further down that road.
I recovered the bottle from our office after our resident caffeine desperado had consumed its contents. It is bound for the hard plastics section in my local recycling centre today.
Note to the Cafe Noir brand manager: Just because someone says it looked nice or "consumer research said it looked classy" and it supports your proposition - doesn't make it "right"... does it?
Update the "do good" mantra... recycle, re-use, refuse (as in don't buy - not putting it in the bin!)
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