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Usually ships in 1-2 business days | | Only 1 left in stock, order soon! | | | | | | The supermarket conundrum Paper or plastic?” sums up a Western consumer society that is on a collision course with the planet’s life-support systems. Do we clearcut forests, process pulp, and bleach it with chlorine to make paper bags? Or do we make a pact with demon hydrocarbon, refining ancient sunlight into handy plastics? About half of America’s municipal solid waste is packagingat least 300 pounds per person each yearand its upstream” costs in energy and resources are even more alarming.
In this fascinating look at the world of packaging, author Daniel Imhoff delves into the life cycles of packaging materials, from wood products to glass, metals, and plastics, and looks at the countless ways that packaged goods shape our culture. Using case studies, the book explores positive trends such as producer responsibility and take back” laws, the eco-design movement, plant-based plastic, labeling to disclose the ecological and social impacts of products, and integrated regional economiesthat is, producing and consuming locally and in bulk.
As consumers, there’s much we can do to address the still-growing problem of packaging. Paper or Plastic offers a checklist for action, along with resources for detailed information. | | | |
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| | Product Details | | Author: | Daniel Imhoff | | Paperback: | 168 pages | | Publisher: | Sierra Club Books | | Publication Date: | April 01, 2005 | | Language: | English | | ISBN: | 1578051177 | | Product Length: | 8.0 inches | | Product Width: | 8.96 inches | | Product Height: | 0.44 inches | | Product Weight: | 0.77 pounds | | Package Length: | 9.0 inches | | Package Width: | 7.9 inches | | Package Height: | 0.5 inches | | Package Weight: | 0.9 pounds | | Average Customer Rating: |  based on 8 reviews |
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| | Customer Reviews | Average Customer Review: ( 8 customer reviews )
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
17 of 18 found the following review helpful:
 Overwhelming statistics that will shock you into action Apr 09, 2006
By Purple Shades
I really liked this book for telling me about things that I haden't thought of before, although I thought myself to be an evironmentally aware person. Some of the statistics are breathtaking. Facts are supported by visuals and an attractive layout. As a general reader with no specific education in the environmental science field, it was a bit dry for me at times, but well worth the read. I made lasting changes in my every day life due to the book, and can't get the statistics about plastic bottles and only small amounts of the actually recyclables making it to a "next life" beyond the garbage dump out of my head. Quite life changing.
10 of 10 found the following review helpful:
Well-organized and informative Jul 06, 2006
By AvidReader
"sportsfan25"
If every person in America understood the energy, chemicals, natural resources and money that went into creating packages, it's likely our consumption habits would dramatically change. Imhoff does a great job of detailing the hazards and challenges of packaging, without being preachy - he lets the statistics and facts tell the story. This book informs, amazes, and startles the reader.
5 of 5 found the following review helpful:
I would recommend this book. Jan 11, 2007
By J. Pauly
This book is excellent and a very easy read. It does a great job of breaking down the different products and their impact on the environment. There are great examples of companies that are doing their part to help reduce the negative impact on the environment.
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
Solid examples of innovative approaches Jul 02, 2009
By Adam Richardson
"Product strategist"
Paper Or Plastic is filled with excellent, detailed and inspiring examples of innovative ways to reduce environmental impacts of packaging. But the principles discussed in the examples extend beyond packaging, and as someone involved in product design, I found many ideas that I could apply to non-packaging efforts also. If you are in the realm of product development, this is a top-notch book to read.
It has its share of doom and gloom statistics, but for the most part the book is action and solution oriented, giving solid advice and approaches backed up by success stories. Many of these examples are from large, mainstream companies, and not the same old chestnuts that we hear about all the time at sustainability conferences or in magazines about niche companies -- valid ideas, but often not scalable to large companies.
The authors have clearly done their homework digging around in the bowels of large company supply chains. Some of what they talk about is not attention-grabbing headline-making stuff, but it is the necessary nuts and bolts of making steady improvements toward less environmental impact.
Earth Justice - Book Reviews Jul 16, 2009
By eco-plan
Daniel Imhoff's book chronicling the search for "solutions to an overpackaged world" is laid out like a text book from a Sustainability 101 course, but mostly manages to avoid the dryness that would imply, though the acronym or jargon-wary may find themselves a bit dizzy. Imhoff offers a thorough, well-thought-out glimpse into the perils and potentials of packaging, the "skin of commerce." He starts with a look at how packaging arrived at this state, describing it as product of a marketing arms race, then describes how factors such as the demands of "big box" stores (oversized PVC blister packs to prevent the theft of small items, for instance) and international commerce have added to the dilemma. Imhoff also takes a hard look at the myths and realities of recycling and eco-labels, which is worth the price of this book alone. The book is interspersed with examples of manufacturers rising to the challenge of better packaging as well as some experiments in waste reduction undertaken by other countries. Overall, this book offers a clearer understanding of the complexities of packaging in the modern world, and is recommended.
See all 8 customer reviews on Amazon.com
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