Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Packaging Materials


Now that the holidays are over, you might be buried in peanuts, packing pillows and Styrofoam, especially if you are like me and depend on the convenience of online shopping.

I have designated a space in the garage dedicated to these materials. I take home a couple of empty copy paper boxes from work and use them to collect these materials. Each box holds a different material. When they are filled, I drop them off at a UPS shipping store on my way to the dairy farm that I visit every other week. UPS and Mail Boxes will accept and reuse these packaging materials. I just drop off the boxes and I'm off to my next errand.

Now if you don't have any of these companies closeby here are some other alternatives. To find a peanut reuser near you, go to www.loosefillpackaging.com. For Styrofoam packing blocks, go to www.epspackaging.org/info.html to find a drop off location or you can mail them the box. Shouldn't cost too much since these materials are very lightweight.

If you are a gardener, you can also repurpose the Styrofoam by placing them in the bottom of pots then add the soil on top to use less soil.

Packing pillows marked "Fill-Air" can be deflated by poking a hole in them, then mail them to Ameri-Pak, Sealed Air Recycle Center, 477 South Woods Drive, Fountain Inn, SC 29644.

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