"Globally, we're starting to see examples of retailers moving away from plastics and throwaway packaging, but not at the urgency and scale needed to address this crisis, especially in the U.S. market," Greenpeace's Kate Melges said in a statement. (Photo: Greenpeace)
Greenpeace Report Offers Vision of 'Smart Supermarkets' and a Future Free of Single-Use Plastics
"This report should serve as a model for retailers to follow, and shows that it is possible to end our throwaway culture for the sake of our oceans, waterways, and communities."
A Greenpeace report released Tuesday uses a hypothetical "Smart Supermarket" that has done away with environmentally damaging single-use plastics to outline a possible future in which the world's oceans and communities are free of bags, bottles, packaging, and other harmful plastic pollutants.
"It's time to build smarter supermarkets," Greenpeace plastics campaigner Kate Melges said in a statement. "Globally, we're starting to see examples of retailers moving away from plastics and throwaway packaging, but not at the urgency and scale needed to address this crisis, especially in the U.S. market."
"Without decisive action, plastic production is set to quadruple by 2050. It is crucial, therefore, that retailers and consumer goods companies work together to accelerate a systematic shift away from single-use plastics."
--Greenpeace
"This report should serve as a model for retailers to follow," added Melges, "and shows that it is possible to end our throwaway culture for the sake of our oceans, waterways, and communities."
In Greenpeace's Smart Supermarket (pdf), "single-use plastics are history."
Instead of wasteful plastic packaging, fresh produce in the Smart Supermarket is stored using local and environmentally friendly alternatives. Plastic bags previously used at checkout are replaced by reusable bags and a rental system for customers who forget to bring their own. Plastics used to package to-go meals are replaced by reusable alternatives such as those pioneered by Switzerland.
For online deliveries, the Smart Supermarket deploys "reuse schemes... with every order delivered using sustainable transport that ensures that reverse shipping requirements are carbon neutral."
"It is time to champion smart packaging solutions that can be returned, refilled, and reused, making The Smart Supermarket the new standard in modern retail," the report says.
Greenpeace notes that many of the solutions proposed in the report have already been implemented in major countries around the world, from Singapore to Sweden to Thailand.
"A world free from single-use plastics... is completely viable if retailers, companies, and individuals alike commit to making it a reality," the report states. "The world has woken up to the impact of single-use plastics and packaging on the environment and communities in highly affected countries."
"Yet without decisive action, plastic production is set to quadruple by 2050," says Greenpeace. "It is crucial, therefore, that retailers and consumer goods companies work together to accelerate a systematic shift away from single-use plastics and towards reuse systems."
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
A Greenpeace report released Tuesday uses a hypothetical "Smart Supermarket" that has done away with environmentally damaging single-use plastics to outline a possible future in which the world's oceans and communities are free of bags, bottles, packaging, and other harmful plastic pollutants.
"It's time to build smarter supermarkets," Greenpeace plastics campaigner Kate Melges said in a statement. "Globally, we're starting to see examples of retailers moving away from plastics and throwaway packaging, but not at the urgency and scale needed to address this crisis, especially in the U.S. market."
"Without decisive action, plastic production is set to quadruple by 2050. It is crucial, therefore, that retailers and consumer goods companies work together to accelerate a systematic shift away from single-use plastics."
--Greenpeace
"This report should serve as a model for retailers to follow," added Melges, "and shows that it is possible to end our throwaway culture for the sake of our oceans, waterways, and communities."
In Greenpeace's Smart Supermarket (pdf), "single-use plastics are history."
Instead of wasteful plastic packaging, fresh produce in the Smart Supermarket is stored using local and environmentally friendly alternatives. Plastic bags previously used at checkout are replaced by reusable bags and a rental system for customers who forget to bring their own. Plastics used to package to-go meals are replaced by reusable alternatives such as those pioneered by Switzerland.
For online deliveries, the Smart Supermarket deploys "reuse schemes... with every order delivered using sustainable transport that ensures that reverse shipping requirements are carbon neutral."
"It is time to champion smart packaging solutions that can be returned, refilled, and reused, making The Smart Supermarket the new standard in modern retail," the report says.
Greenpeace notes that many of the solutions proposed in the report have already been implemented in major countries around the world, from Singapore to Sweden to Thailand.
"A world free from single-use plastics... is completely viable if retailers, companies, and individuals alike commit to making it a reality," the report states. "The world has woken up to the impact of single-use plastics and packaging on the environment and communities in highly affected countries."
"Yet without decisive action, plastic production is set to quadruple by 2050," says Greenpeace. "It is crucial, therefore, that retailers and consumer goods companies work together to accelerate a systematic shift away from single-use plastics and towards reuse systems."
A Greenpeace report released Tuesday uses a hypothetical "Smart Supermarket" that has done away with environmentally damaging single-use plastics to outline a possible future in which the world's oceans and communities are free of bags, bottles, packaging, and other harmful plastic pollutants.
"It's time to build smarter supermarkets," Greenpeace plastics campaigner Kate Melges said in a statement. "Globally, we're starting to see examples of retailers moving away from plastics and throwaway packaging, but not at the urgency and scale needed to address this crisis, especially in the U.S. market."
"Without decisive action, plastic production is set to quadruple by 2050. It is crucial, therefore, that retailers and consumer goods companies work together to accelerate a systematic shift away from single-use plastics."
--Greenpeace
"This report should serve as a model for retailers to follow," added Melges, "and shows that it is possible to end our throwaway culture for the sake of our oceans, waterways, and communities."
In Greenpeace's Smart Supermarket (pdf), "single-use plastics are history."
Instead of wasteful plastic packaging, fresh produce in the Smart Supermarket is stored using local and environmentally friendly alternatives. Plastic bags previously used at checkout are replaced by reusable bags and a rental system for customers who forget to bring their own. Plastics used to package to-go meals are replaced by reusable alternatives such as those pioneered by Switzerland.
For online deliveries, the Smart Supermarket deploys "reuse schemes... with every order delivered using sustainable transport that ensures that reverse shipping requirements are carbon neutral."
"It is time to champion smart packaging solutions that can be returned, refilled, and reused, making The Smart Supermarket the new standard in modern retail," the report says.
Greenpeace notes that many of the solutions proposed in the report have already been implemented in major countries around the world, from Singapore to Sweden to Thailand.
"A world free from single-use plastics... is completely viable if retailers, companies, and individuals alike commit to making it a reality," the report states. "The world has woken up to the impact of single-use plastics and packaging on the environment and communities in highly affected countries."
"Yet without decisive action, plastic production is set to quadruple by 2050," says Greenpeace. "It is crucial, therefore, that retailers and consumer goods companies work together to accelerate a systematic shift away from single-use plastics and towards reuse systems."