A customer who purchased curtain clips opened a massive cardboard box the items were shipped in to discover a surprise.
What's happening?
In the r/EgregiousPackaging subreddit, the person shared an image of their oversized shipping box. The plastic-enveloped curtain clips and a skinny rectangular box, perhaps containing their curtains or a curtain rod, don't take up even a quarter of the space available.
"Probably could have used a narrower box," the original poster wrote.
"I bet that little bag could fit in the smaller to avoid the bigger box," one commenter responded.
"That box would get stuck on every single line and jam f****** everything," another pointed out.
Why is this important?
While excessive packaging may seem like a small worry in the grand scheme of things, it can have unintended ripple effects that exact an economic and environmental toll — and also hit consumers more directly at home if jurisdictions raise their waste-disposal fees.
|
When you think about a product's packaging, which of these factors is more important to you?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
The way it looks 😍 Cardboard is biodegradable and has a much higher recycling rate than plastic — around 71-76%, according to the American Forest and Paper Association. However, much of the material still ends up in landfills.
The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates the volume of cardboard and paper in dumps in the United States represents $4 billion in lost economic value, including in resources and energy costs.
Beyond that, as Earth911 notes, it takes three tons of trees to manufacture just one ton of virgin cardboard. So, the industry can contribute to deforestation — which causes biodiversity loss, weakening the health of ecosystems and leaving the food supply vulnerable to disruptions.
Why would a retailer ship a purchase in an oversized container?
The OP didn't say where they purchased their products from, but the oversized packaging problem isn't confined to one company. Social media users have called out major retailers such as Amazon, Ulta, MAC, and more for their packaging practices.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
For its part, Amazon started shipping items in their original packaging when possible, directly addressing consumer requests for less packaging waste. The company plans to expand the program to products that don't qualify under its current packaging structure guidelines.
What can be done about packaging waste more broadly?
When you shop online, check whether you can opt for minimal or plastic-free packaging. For example, Amazon gives shoppers the option to reduce the number of boxes used for shipping.
However, if you end up with an oversized box, it doesn't have to go straight to the recycling bin.
"Honestly, I love this. Instead of small packaging I'll throw away, I get a box I'll be able to use," one commenter wrote.
Another idea is to use the box as a weed suppressant. Doing this would also save you from needing to shell out cash for landscaping fabric, which is prone to shedding damaging microplastics.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
