The 50th Anniversary of Earth Day feels very special today, as we practice social distancing and we stay home to flatten the curve. One silver lining of all these restrictions is that carbon emissions from fossil fuels is reduced to the largest drop on record. Energy use has declined, we have the lowest level of air pollution in decades, more clearer water and our individual carbon footprints are shrinking rapidly. Our earth seems to heal itself.
Online shopping becomes a necessity during quarantine for its convenience and safety. So much is at our fingertips, 24/7. With more consumers making a shift to online shipping during the pandemic, how is shipping affecting the environment?
Carbon Footprint of Shipping and Packaging
Surprisingly, shipping is MORE eco-friendly than traditional shopping. There is a catch; this is only factual with longer delivery windows. Priority or 1 Day shipping increases the amount of trucks on the road. Thus increasing green house gases. Packaging also plays a part in this. Paper products can be easily recycled by standard recycling centers. Same goes for those plastic polymer bags. Unfortunately, bonded packaging (paper glued to a plastic lining) has the highest impact on the environment. It is time-consuming to recycle and most facilities do not have the means to perform this task.
KADOO Recyclable Packaging
With this in mind we focused our efforts on sustainable gift box packaging. Our specially curated products are packed with care, to ensure they arrive safely. The products sit in a nest of recycled shredded paper. This paper is a fun addition to any gift and can be reused again and again. We place a dried bouquet of flowers within most of our gift boxes. In 2-5 years these bouquets do see their end. Have no fear because they are compostable! Lastly, cellulose webbing sits on top of everything. This provides a cushion to protect during travel. Best of all it can be recycled!
Please note to practice your utmost precaution when receiving any packages delivered to your home during the pandemic, and to follow the necessary recommendations by your local health authorities and WHO.
Eco Friendly Furoshiki Gift Wrapping
KADOO gift boxes are wrapped with a square piece of fabric that can be repurposed. We chose the Japanese furoshiki wrapping method. Most common wrapping paper is NOT environmentally sound. Many papers incorporate glitter, foil, and laminated plastics making them near impossible to recycle. You can read all about our eco friendly fabric wrapping here
Sustainable Shipping Box
To send our gift boxes we knew we had to get the right box. We partner up with a local packaging company. They produced their boxes using papers that are sustainably sourced and vegetable-based inks with low VOC’s; everything is recyclable. All our their boxes are produced in the US, which means shorter transportation and a smaller carbon footprint. In addition, they started a program that sponsor planting one tree for every $100 of sales. That translates to tens of thousands of trees per year.” This is why we think they are a great choice for our KADOO boxes.
A Sustainable Future
We support brands that align with the earth and are on the hunt for new ways to go green. One way to ensure that we continue reducing our carbon footprints is to make note of our eco-friendly new habits and to continue practicing them after quarantine. At KADOO we will always be transparent about this process. We want our gift boxes to create happiness for everyone, inside and out, while making our small contribution to a more sustainable future.
