Contamination of food from recycled cardboard

When recycled cardboard is used in food packaging it risks contaminating the food. Food rapidly absorbs the mineral oils from printing inks which are contained in recycled cardboard. Food becomes contaminated to many times the recommended limits of mineral oils.

Even if food is packaged in clean boxes, it is contaminated if transported in corrugated boxes made from recycled cardboard.

Reusing has advantages over recycling.

Which recyclable bags?

Many US shopping chains are now promoting reusable shopping bags and no longer give away free throw-away bags. In some cities, such as San Francisco, the singlet bags are banned in supermarkets and chain stores. It is however proving to be difficult to determine what really is an environmentally responsible bag. Here are some of the concerns:

• Often bags are made in China and shipped thousands of kilometers using unique fossil fuels while polluting the oceans and shores with the exhaust from dirty marine fuel just to get them to the place where they are to be reused
• Often bags are made of plastic which takes a long time to decompose. They can't be washed.
  
• If bags are not reused they are more environmentally damaging than disposable thin bags because they are made with more solid materials.
• Many cheap recyclable bags are made in Chinese factories from polypropylene, using 28 times as much energy as a disposable bag
• Cotton bags can require a large amount of water and energy to produce and may use harsh chemical dyes. However they can be washed and reused for a long time like clothing.
  
• Paper bags destroy trees and the factories pollute water and air. They can be reused many times but usually aren't.
  

The biggest problem is to get people to use reusable bags even after they buy them. But at the same time disposable plastic bags are becoming unpopular. 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away each year in the US.
Producers of reusable bags have reported big increases in sales.

Packaging not popular among shoppers

A worldwide survey taken in November 2007 by the Nielsen Company indicates that concern about packaging waste has grown more than any other environmental concern. Forty percent of respondents were "very concerned" about rubbish from food packaging.
Major food retailers are now acting to cut back on packaging in response to customer concerns.
Half of the people in the survey were willing to cut back on packaging if it was not important in keeping food clean.
Overall cunsumers are shifting to paper, cardboard and glass because they can be recycled.
New Zealanders were the most willing to give up packaging, but people from Japan and Thailand were the least willing to reduce it.
Unlike most other organic wholefood shops, the Food Coop has waste minimisation as a primary focus.

The Story of Stuff

If you are looking for good reasons why you use organic products, look at this video from the Story of Stuff. Learn about poisons in products, toxic breast milk and unsustainable production.

Reduce packaging

This video on the effects of plastic packaging on our oceans reinforces the efforts of the coop to reduce waste and bring your own containers.

Global warming

Shopping at the coop is a contribution to reduction of global warming. Together we can prevent Manly from going under water.
The coop encourages you to think about and act on a number of things when shopping.
Bring your own containers. Wasteful packaging not only rubbishes the environment but also uses energy. Transporting packaged food requires more energy than bulk food which you pack in your own container. Remaking containers for single use wastes large amounts of energy.
Buy local produce. The coop sells a range of local seasonal produce which is organically grown. The high energy use in transporting food from the other side of the world is avoided. Is it really necessary to eat mangos in winter? Try creative cooking instead.
Use sustainable transport. Shopping by bicycle is easy in Manly. You can park at the door. So often we see multi-purpose wheeled vehicles parked illegally with the motor running while someone is shopping ("Honest officer, I was not parked there. See the engine is running!"). A car trip for a carton of milk costs the Earth.
Support responsible farming. The coop researches all its products for sustainability in all respects. You can be sure that what you are buying is not costing the future.