All becomes clear

From today's latest Dilbert genius.

Excuse the (unintentional, if apt) double meaning in the headline

Tray Bon?

Reuse is my preferred option over recycling, but where there is no alternative the latter beats a hole in the ground.

And there are a few classes of waste that are, for now, defeating the collective Junkketeer imaginations.

So it is good to learn that two of the worst sources of plastic waste look to be on the recycling agenda at long last.

Yogurt pots and food trays collected in new drive to boost recycling

Not sure I like that word 'forced', but heigh ho.

Also, on reading the piece, I wonder whether the reality actually reflects the level of actual activity suggested y that headline.

RE:view - Which? does packaging

The July '09 Which Magazine is a bit of a greenie bumper edition.

I have already mentioned two other topics covered, but just as recent additions to the CATEGORY sections they complemented (see recent CARBON TRADING and PLASTIC BAGS Labels).

However, there is one main one they have tackled which, for obvious reasons, piqued my interest: PACKAGING, with a piece called 'Don't keep it under wraps'.

So, what was of note?

The first thing is that it concentrated pretty much on supermarkets and own labels. Therefore the big brands escaped investigation. You will not find Heinz or P&G or Unilever there, and that's a lot of plastic (which, at the end of the day, was the near exclusive focus).

What was interesting was when they got into 'like-for-like' comparisons on weight which, bearing in mind the constant reminders I have been getting from WRAP for donkeys on the joys and successes of lightweighting with the Courthauld Cabals , struck a few chords.

Try good old Plan A M&S bacon slice packs a stonking 40% more than Sainsbury's, and explained away as 'within expected variations'. Such airy ways with numbers might explain a few things in the boardroom of late! Or try Morrisons Cheddar slices at 86% more than 'eco-evil' Tescos.

Thing is, such specific samples and examples really don't address the overall main issue, and the piece acknowledges this and merely ends up repeating what we know and bang on about, seemingly to very deaf ears, as quangos, councils, government and big business all point at each other in tut-tutting at how tricky it is to deal with all this due to the huge variations in rules, regs and waste disposal systems.

And, often, it seems that those who often like to claim how green they are can often... slip. Don't know about you, but this latest Waitrose ad looks to me more like a plastics' packaging showcase.

What we do at Junkk can't help mitigate much either, as we are mainly here to advocate reuse. But every little bit helps:) There was a feature on a chap who Which? had asked to keep what he couldn't recycle... for a week. Well, try 5 years, and counting, as I have! I am struggling on most of these trays too, but when you have a stack 100 high of identical ones, you do start to think big. So I am getting glimmers. They are plastic, so they are invincible to weather. And they are black, so they absorb heat. You'll see where I am going. Just my luck when they all end up on biodegradables, which initially might seem a solution, but then one needs to ponder, as I have before, on what organics biodegrade to. Not easy, this being green and not just looking it.

But, for now, if anyone else has some ideas of their own, don't forget the Junkk.com plastics reuse competition.

COMPETITION - I think my workload just went up:)

Big news!

And, to some who follow this blog, possibly something you, or your clients, might be interested in, keen on helping with and/or taking part in.

Junkk.com has been approached to take part in/and help with a forthcoming insert regarding plastics and packaging, in a major national quality daily.

Sponsorship/advertising is not my forte, but it really seems a good, low cost, high value opportunity to reach a decent sized audience in a good, if you'll forgive the double entendre, 'environment'. And considering the prestige of the paper and its association with green initiatives, a great way to get the brand out there in an ethically positive way. Possibly a great chance to help cover any investment with increased sales, beyond any CSR, PR benefits alone.

We are also really reaching out to a broad cross section with our PR efforts, especially in the educational arena, from Blue Peter to the Scouts.

Here's a few bits more blurb from the insert creators, Lysonsdown, as sold to me, to hopefully help explain my role and or sweeten the prospects to any who see merit in taking part!

Information about World of Plastics

It’s coinciding with an education supplement day, and as polymers are now part of the National Curriculum, as Prof MacDonald goes round schools with lectures called Plastic Fantastic and the Science Museum has an exhibit running called Plasticity, it would be great to do a reused plastics competition with Junkk.com

It may either be judged by me, or photos could be posted online to attract people to the website to vote for their favourites.

There could be three categories to separate the wacky, aesthetic or futuristic ones from the practical ones. Or maybe its simpler to have one competition with 2 runners up. It would be fantastic to get Blue Peter to let the winner demonstrate how to make their winning prize on TV as it’s totally fitting with ‘Here’s one I made earlier’.

It would be fabulous for this competition to grow into an annual event. It would come with its own trophy ready designed! {I have offered}

An example of this is on a publication carried out called Teleprescence in January.

If any company is in any way keen to develop a reuse role more in advance of or on the back of this, I'd be happy to make the necessary introduction. Let's not forget that such as ecover have uploaded their entire range to the site, plus ideas, and are finding that the additional values of this quirky 'extra' are going down well with green-minded consumers. More so in these credit-crunchy times. Also Poundland have seen value in being associated with Junkk.com in this way.

I looking forward to that chance that something positive, and mutually-rewarding for all, may result. I cannot speak for the overall content (there may be critiques of the role of plastic of course), but I am simply keen to be proactive of the possibilities of what there is the public can engage with now, and maybe inspire more for the future to help all involved.

As we are also now much further advanced with our RE:tie re:evolutionary cap/closure design, if there may be renewed interest that could be drummed up internally in any organisations we've chatted to so far that would be great, especially as we might well see this featured as a designed-in re:use suggestion to help mitigate plastic packaging impacts, whilst offering a win-win-win... to all involved.

Consumers get a freebie (we'd suggest) and a sense of 'green goodness, the planet suffers a little less in the bin/landfill, Govt., LAs & quangos like WRAP smile more on everything from reduced plastic use (through redesignation more than lightweighting) to less litter, and brands not only get CSR and PR opps, but a component that can have many sales and marketing applications.

For me.... I now need to get back in my shed designing... and on my Mac creating! A clone or 36 hr days would help (though I see I might not meet new EU rules there).

Addendum 1 - Things gather pace. It looks like we may now have the 'sweetener' of a prize which, IMHO, always helps things along. Not to mention being in line with our end-benefit, rewards-based mantra. Onward & upward!