Session Task 05: Research Blog Task - 13/11/14

1. London Bio Packaging (LBP): http://www.londonbiopackaging.com/

LBP were responsible for some sustainable packaging 1sts at the 2012 Olympics. 
Please answer the following on your blog (remember to copy and paste the Q’s  first so it’s clear what you’re answering!):

1. How many take away meals were consumed over the course of the 2012 
   Olympic Games? 
   Answer: 14 million alone during the course of the games.
   
2. How much waste to landfill were Olympics organisers expecting to have'
   to go to landfill? 
   Answer: 8500 tonnes.
3. How many pieces of packaging were needed for the games - and by 
   supplying these what did LBF help the games achieve? 
   Answer: 120 million pieces of compostable and recyclable packaging were needed, all of which are responsibly made and all of which is composted or recycled after use.
4. Take a moment to look around their site.
   See ‘Our services > closing the loop’.
   - How many stages are there in their ‘closed loop’ system?
     Answer: There are five stages: Supply, Dispose, Collect, Process and Re-Use.
   - What happens at each stage?
     1) Supply: Create the required packaging, which is either compostable or recyclable.
     2) Dispose: Prepare the appropriate waste streams for the packaging; Recycling, Composting and General Waste
     3) Collect: Waste collection is arranged using a waste contractor.
     4) Process: The contractor ensures that all the wastes taken to the correct facility where it is either composted or recycled.
     5) Re-Use: The compost created is used for agriculture, while the recycled material is used to make new products
   - Is this appropriate for this company? If ‘yes’ then please explain why you think so. Answer: This seems a straightforward and effective process, so it would appear appropriate for the company. 
5. Look even further around their site. LBP use a wide range of materials. See About Our Products > Our materials:
   - What are ‘bioplastics’? Is there anything that can explain further the oil and carbon savings? 
   Answer: 'Bio Plastics' are plastics made from plants. There is an additional animation link explaining the oil and carbon savings.
   - Look at the other materials LBP use. Could you order these in terms of  ‘most sustainable’, explain why you’ve ordered them like this on your post.'
   Answer: Forest Wood (Most Sustainable), Plant Starch, Palm Leaf, Sugar Bagasse, Recycled Paper, Recycled Plastic(Least Sustainable). The reason for this order is that trees and plants naturally grow on the planet, making them a more sustainable source of materials, whereas plastic has to be manufactured itself, from less common materials such as oil.
6. What is PSM and what are it’s key properties? Why is this useful? 
   Answer: Plant Starch Material (PSM) is a flexible bio based packaging, made from renewable crops. It's key properties include heat-resistance, which makes it ideal for hot-food packaging and bio disposable cutlery.
7. What is sugar bagasse and how might it be turned into packaging? 
   Answer: Sugar bagasse is the waste material produced from harvested sugar canes. Its raw form can be turned into packaging using a process of heating, pulping and pressurised moulding.
8. Pick one other material listed and explain what it is and what it’s key  
   properties and considerations are.  
   Answer: Forest wood is a renewable plant resource that can be used to construct a variety of wooden packaging and products.
9. If you haven’t already, download LBF’s .pdf catalogue, see 
   About Our Products > Product Catalogue.  
   - Look through it and keep it in a research folder either on your desktop or memory stick (some of you will probably have one of these already).
   

2. WRAP: http://www.wrap.org.uk/

1. First watch this short video from Wrap:  
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIDmiYctUUg
2. Back to their website - Who are Wrap? Describe what they do in a paragraph.   
   Answer: WRAP is a non-profit company that works to accelerate the move to make the economy sustainable resource efficient. They do this by re-inventing the design, production and distribution of products, and re-thinking how they are used and consumed. The company also works to redefine what is possible through re-cycling and re-use.
3. What commercial sectors do they deal with and ‘why’?   
   Answer: Food waste reduction, manufactured products, built environment, and resource management. These are considered the most resource intensive sectors, which WRAP has deep expertise on, as well as a track record of strong delivery. 
4. Do they deal with the idea of a circular economy? If ‘yes’ how do they aim to tally with these ideas?   
   Answer: WRAP uses the circular economy as a framework for strategic thinking and it tallies with these ideas by building an evidence base and then convening the right people in business. WRAP also works to have a clear understanding of the flow of resources around an economy and try to keep resources in play for as long as possible.
5. What are Wrap’s 3x key priority areas and what do they aim to do in these?'
     1) Product Sustainability: Reinvent the process of designing, producing and selling through product and process innovation and enable collaboration along supply chains.
     2) Behaviour Change: Rethinking how to buy, use and consume through consumer campaigns and enable collaborative changes by business.
     3) Waste and Resource Management: Re-define how to re-use and recycle through market and infrastructure development and improved collections systems.
6. Download the excellent ‘Packguide: A guide to Packaging Eco Design’ at:  
   http://www.wrap.org.uk/sites/files/wrap/GG908_final_linked.pdf 
   
7. Now take 10mins to look the guide through – there’s LOADS of good background refs in here!  
   
8. Look at section 4: Design for Re-Use, Recycling and Recovery. 
   - Describe 3 key considerations within ‘design for re-use’.
   - Describe 3 key considerations within ‘design for recycling’.
   - Describe how effective Metal, Glass, Paper and Board and Plastics are  and which (in your eyes) of these may achieve the ‘most effective’ award for recyclability.  
     
     
   

3. INCPEN: http://www.incpen.org/ 

1. Who are incpen and what do they do?   
   Answer: Incpen is a research organisation that works to draw together a number of influential companies that all have similar views on sustainable production, distribution and consumption.
2. Are they the same as WRAP? If ‘no’ then what do you think the key differences are?   
   Answer: Incpen is more specific in its aims as it concentrates primarily on encouraging the companies in the economy to be more self-aware concerning the effect their products have on the environment.
3. Now watch this related video:  
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB09rDeRxJo
   
4. After watching the video:  
   - Where do you stand on packaging in supermarkets? Is it a good thing or otherwise?   
   Answer: I think that packaging is necessary for a lot of products in shops, as they can protect them from damage and, where food is concerned, keep them fresh. The real problem could be that customers are not disposing the packaging in the correct way after they are used. People often put the majority of packaging straight into the main bin, rather than have them recycled or re-used, so perhaps that On the other hand though, there is an amount of packaging that cannot be recycled, which would cause a problem where sustainability is concerned.
   - Are there ways in which it could be improved (if ‘yes’ then how?).   
   Answer: I feel that manufacturers could try to reduce the amount of packaging required to the bare minimum, and possibly try to use more materials that can be recycled.
5. Do you know what you can recycle domestically after you’ve eaten/drank all those goods you (or your family) buy from supermarkets?   
   Answer: My family uses domestic recycling bins for all the rubbish that can be recycled.
   - Does your Council or university offer-up recycling options? If ‘yes’ then what are they? Could they be improved upon at all in some way?   
   Answer: Worcester University has recycling bins placed in areas like the canteen and the Student Union, and there are also recycling bags provided in the halls of residence. However, I sometimes feel that the recycling bins are not evenly spread out across the University, and in some rooms there are more bins than required, while other parts of the University do not have any recycling bins.  
6. See Library > Factsheets, browse through these and pick one that you feel has the most bearing on the project that you’re doing on this module.
   - Why do you feel this factsheet is appropriate for your main project?   
   Answer: The factsheet concerning 'Reusable Packaging' is appropriate for my project since the basis of my designs is to create packaging that can be reused again and again in transporting products.
7. Now take a moment to watch this related video: 
   http://www.ted.com/talks/tristram_stuart_the_global_food_waste_scandal 
8. After watching the film, do you feel that better designed packaging that uses less resources etc is the only way to improve the way we consume goods – especially food?   
   Answer: I certainly believe that there are various solutions to improving how we consume our goods. In the video for instance, Tristram Stuart suggests that we need to stop wasting the food itself, so perhaps something should be organised to make use of left-over food that is still perfectly edible. That could help ensure that we do not overstock on food that is not needed and send it instead to customers who do require it. On reflection, we have to try all the possible ways to decrease waste of resources, as there is on clear single solution. 

4. Food For Thought: 

1. Coke and'packaging
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7vny5zLhp0 
   
   
2. Clever Little Bag
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwRulz8hPKI 
   
   
3. UPS Courier – Sustainable Packaging video
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcX3EWc_Z6c
    
4. Plastic wine container:
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=to2d4JFBSC4
    
5. Coke Plant Bottle
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzO_7sp8ce4
    
6. Local sustainable packager:
   http://www.biopac.co.uk/
   '
   

- For each of the above, write the title of the video and then 3x observations or more on your blog entry.