Packaging Part 2

Packaging does more than just bring in customers to buy a certain product. One of the more important things it does is protect the actual object. Many objects are dropped, scratched, and even stepped on while they are in the store. If I were to find an object that had damage to it, I would certainly not by it, as would many people. Because of the packaging, many products can be slightly abused and still be perfectly fine without lowering the value of the product. Objects like CD's and DVD's have the outside plastic casing to protect them from falls and scratches. This is similar to many products and help protect the longevity of the protect. Packaging also helps with the usability of an object. If you were to try a product that had the container of a Gatorade bottle, but the contents of pancake mix, it would be very difficult to use. Usability is a big factor in packaging because it can make something so much easier to use, and even though it won't normally prevent the consumer from buying it, it still helps create loyalty and appreciation for the company.
The articles we read for class suggested that we should try to make our packages for products more recycler-friendly, which I agree with completely. After reading the article on all the trash dumped in the ocean, I was actually kind of pissed that we weren't doing anything about it. I was also bummed about how this was the first time I was hearing about it. I think that as packagers, they should limit their use of packaging containing plastic and have them try to use more biodegradable products. If we enact laws forcing companies to severely limit their use of plastic and other dangerous products, we can drop the total amount of garbage dumped like Germany did when it enacted its Packaging Ordinance. We could adopt Germany's Green dot on our packaging here to help encourage recycling.