Southface Institute: Blog

Demand for reliable packaging material has made plastic the most popular choice, but this has created a single-use model that cannot be fixed by recycling alone. Switching to reusable packaging will benefit the environment and bring financial benefits to businesses and consumers alike.

The lifespan of a product is often driven by short-term business choices, not by production abilities. From a business standpoint, it may make sense to design products that are cheap and replaceable, but this approach hinders the development of a sustainable future.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a manufacturing and supply chain shortage for hospitals and clinics across the nation. With an immediate need for circularity in the healthcare industry, many companies, research centers and medical centers are creating equipment, medical supplies and other PPE supplies that can be reused.

When consumers choose products and services that aim to eliminate waste and encourage the continual use and reuse of resources, they are encouraging a more circular economy. In fact, consumer choices are the biggest driving force behind growing industry shifts from linear to circular models. To appeal to customers, the government and employee demands, most industries are evolving to incorporate circularity in the product itself, its production and consumption.

From memos to contracts, to-do-lists and reports, paper is a part of office life. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, 90 percent of all office waste is paper, but this …

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