Excess packaging is a common problem in the era of online shopping, but one Reddit user shared photos of a jewelry purchase that went beyond overboard with it.
The photos show a few chain necklaces surrounded by over 20 small, plastic bags. The caption read, "Can we please talk about packaging waste?"
The original poster went on to describe in the comments that 12 "tiny" chain necklaces were bagged in three plastic baggies each, with the bags "nested" inside one another. As a result, there were a total of 38 bags in the order.
Some users explained in the comments that jewelry is sometimes packaged this way for sanitary reasons, but they also noted that there are other ways to maintain sanitary requirements with less excessive packaging.
Others were outraged. "It's so frustrating! Often, everything I order could easily fit inside one single small bag," wrote one user. Others added, "It absolutely blows my mind" and "It's horrific!"
America produces around 40 million tons of plastic waste each year, and, according to one study, only 5% of that gets recycled. This sort of excessive packaging only adds to the problem and isn't overly useful to consumers.
Reddit users expressed frustration in feeling that they couldn't do much to change the situation but wanted to do what they could to make the best of it.
One Redditor suggested ordering from companies that offer sustainable packaging — an example being the brand, BodyArtForms, which allows you to choose to package all of your items in a singular bag. Others offered solutions like leaving reviews for the seller about the packaging, and repurposing the baggies to store jewelry and other small items like bolts and screws.
Alternatively, you can try thrifting for your jewelry instead of buying it firsthand. The practice is a great way to save money on jewelry, and some shoppers have been known to find expensive items for next to nothing.
One thrifter found nine-karat-gold earrings for $4, and another managed to snag a gold and diamond embedded ring worth $4,000 tossed in an inexpensive bag of jewelry. And getting your jewelry this way cuts out the excess plastic — less packaging for you to deal with and better for the environment.
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