Articles and Press Information

Articles/Press information.

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Index
     a. Dealing with the recycling Mountain
    b. Gift Wrap and Sitcky Tape
    c. Teach your children that eco can be fun
    d. Better off using recycled paper
    e. Save time and money this Christmas
    f. Christmas is coming, spare a thought for the planet.

a. Dealing with the recycling Mountain

Historically, local councils have provided the refuse collection service and this has been funded through council tax payments and over the last few years, UK Local Councils have made great improvements in the collection of household waste. Two of the most effective have been the Recycling box collection scheme and also the subsidy given to home composters. As well as ‘Macro’ environmental issues, there have been two factors at local level driving this activity. Firstly, there has been a gradual increase in the cost per tonne of good quality waste material from the recycling industry. This of course, has a posititve effect on council finances. However since Autumn 2008, the wheels have come off the second factor and the reduction in worldwide consumption for goods has left waste cost per tonnne seriously reduced. For example, for good quality waste paper, the middle of ‘08 traded at c.80-100 GBP. At the end of the year, the price was c.40 GBP. Other lower quality material has almost zero value.
So with such little demand and a fairlycontinual rate of supply, councils have some tough decisions to make. There is clearly a cost to facilitate storage and also a quality deterioration over time. So the only reasonable option seems to be landfill. But such a step threatens to compromise the goodwill and efforts of local residents and potentially undo positive steps over a number of years.
There is another step that could be taken by Central and Local Government. Everyone will be familiar with the three arrowed recycling logo. Use>Recycle>Re-use. The ‘owner’ of each of these stages are Consumer>Local Government>Private Companies. So the saying goes, the customer is always right and private industry will only supply products where there is some demand. In these days of aesthetics and brands, there is some resistance to buying goods made from recycled materials. There is also a lack of awareness regarding the availability of alternatives. Consumers have to be encouraged to buy recycled and until there is a critical mass of natural demand, companies have to be financially motivated. I believe that Local and Central Government (through VAT rates) respectively, have a role to play in these tasks.
Hopefully then the recycling loop will be balanced between supply and demand.
Bagsy Design Ltd makes a range of attractive Gift Bags and Packaging that are made from and average of 70% recycled material.
(PM Jan’09)
www.Bagsydesign.co.uk

b. Gift Wrap and Sticky Tape

I have noticed recently that there is an increase in the availability of flat sheet gift wrap paper made from high levels of recycled material. Improved quality of collected recycled paper means that it is possible to have a high level of its content pulped and included in new paper products, while maintaining an acceptable level of printing quality. Unfortunately, this is where the recycling loop is broken since the nature of flat sheet paper required to be fixed in place with sticky tape.
The composition and characteristics of stick tape make recycling paper more difficult. Furthermore, human instinct is to tear open presents and crumple waste into a ball. I know from experience that these balls are stuffed into bin bags and these go ultimately to landfill.

Bagsy Design Ltd have a new and innovative range of Peel and Seal Gift Bags designed in sizes to accommodate typical gifts. All their bags are made from and average of 70% recycled paper material and incorporate a biodegradable sticky peel and seal tape. Once it had been opened it naturally returns to its flat shape and goes in the recycle bin.
(PM Jan ‘09)
www.Bagsydesign.co.uk

c. Teach your children that eco can be fun

Social lives of under 8’s are far more exciting than their parents. Our two small children have a schedule of birthday parties that occupy most of our weekends. In this age, parents are willing to go to extremes of effort, expenditure and exasperation to ensure that their little Princes and Princesses enjoy their big day. After all, they are our future.
So I am always surprised at the end of the party when all that guests are presented with the complimentary party bag which is nearly always a plastic bag with a cartoon or Disney theme. It is true that they are very cheap and easily available in Supermarkets, Although I have to say that their design does not suit pieces of Birthday cake without it getting squashed on the way home.

It is so unfortunate when there are so many initiatives to find alternatives to plastic carrier bags, that there are few other options. Attractive paper bags are so much nicer, especially when they are made from a high percentage of recycled paper. I believe that it sets a good example to the next generation of responsible consumer shopping.
Bagsy Design Ltd have a range of Kids Party Bags that are made from and average of 70% recycled paper and with their die cut handle

d. Better off using recycled Paper.

For many uses, recycled paper is now a better option than virgin card paper or art paper. As well as the environmental benefits, economics now favour recycled paper.
In basic terms, the steps are…
- Virgin material
Timber – Transport – Processing A – Fabrication into Rolls - Customer
- Recycled material
Efficient Recycle Collection – Transport – Processing B – Fabrication into Rolls - Customer

If we examine each step where there is a fundamental difference, it will become clear.

Timber.
Nowadays, raw material comes from fast growing plantations that are managed responsibly. However, their fast growing development and harvesting does not allow for maturity and the establishment of a fully effective CO2 to O2 conversion process.

Efficient Recycle collection.
Great progress has been made here in the UK by Local Government to create effective schemes to collect household as well as Office waste paper. I am sure that through increased educational awareness, the material quality will improve.
We have to remember that this collection is not an additional cost to tax payers. ‘Rubbish’ has to be collected either way. However, the recycling method eliminates the landfill requirement and also the consequent methane production (Paper is carbon based and its demise through landfill or burning or will contribute to Global Warming):

Processing A.
Turning Timber into Pulp involves large amounts of Energy and Water.

Processing B.
Turning post consumer waste into useable Pulp does require energy, water and chemicals (mainly de-inking). However, it is a case by case comparison rather than a specific % to compare A to B. On Energy, using recycled material ranges from 30% to 70% less than for timber raw material.
As consumer demand has increased, processing B has been improved in quality terms and economies of scale.

Since most paper is printed before reaching end user, printing processes and ink formulae have made Quality improvements that have allowed for material with higher content of recycled pulp than before in order to reach an acceptable standard. (PM Oct.’08).

www.bagsydesign.co.uk

e. Save time and money this Christmas.

Now that the leaves are starting to fall, shops are busily stocking up on all things Christmas. As well as those already under pressure to plan shopping trips for presents, spare a thought for those who struggle to wrap them up to an acceptable standard and make the initial impression worthy of their contents.
Scissors, tape and perseverance are not for everyone, so there has been a rise in recent years of the gift bag and while this solves the most pressing issue, there are some drawbacks.
Kids like peeping in to see their presents and with no sealing function, the surprise is a give away. Furthermore Gift Bags are usually a bit more expensive and many designs use plastic lamination, glitter, foil etc that makes recycling more difficult if not impossible.
There is now a new option from Bagsydesign.co.uk where there is a bag with peel and seal function that combines the benefits of a gift bag with the economy of flat sheet paper. The bag has three different size options which accommodates most presents’ shapes and proportions.
It is a single use bag made predominantly from recycled paper and can be further recycled after use.
(PM Oct.‘08).

www.bagsydesign.co.uk

f. Christmas is coming, spare a thought for the planet.

In many ways, the Credit Crunch may well be a good thing. I know that right now for many people, this may seem difficult to accept.
Charles Handy, the famous author once explained that a frog sitting in a saucepan of water will allow itself to be boiled because it gradually adjusts and adjusts and keeps adjusting as the temperature rises until BANG, its too late.
In a similar way, we need something pretty dramatic to happen to make us, the human race, make the necessary fundamental changes in our lifestyles before needless consumerism destroys our planet. We are all gradually making adjustments when taxation is tweeked but certainly in the UK, changes are not great enough or rapid enough.
Despite the financial hardship, I was encouraged by many stories during the summer when individuals and companies made big changes in behaviour in order to adapt and survive. I sincerely hope that now that oil has dropped from the peak of 147$ to c.70$, all this does not go into reverse.
With Christmas approaching, I am glad to see that more and more companies are focusing time and effort on their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) and actively trying to change their business model to reduce environmental costs. After all, Christmas is traditionally when consumption peaks in the year for most retailers (food clothing, toys etc.) I think that many firms will be surprised and end up saving money as the result of adopting Green policies.
In order to keep the momentum, individuals should also evaluate and understand their own CSR (maybe ISR Individual Social responsibility). In that way, consumer spending behaviour will reward responsible companies. With this incentive, companies will do more…and so the cycle continues.
After all, I think in the last 3 or 4 years, many people have become more aware of their ‘Carbon Footprint’ within their own household. Users should be encouraged to look for more information about the products that they are buying.
I strongly believe that UK Government should make it mandatory that all businesses state a clear CSR policy. Furthermore, VAT incentives should be offered to certain products which have been adapted to become more environmentally friendly. Consequently R&D work will be directly rewarded.
In this way, both individual and companies will harmonise more towards supporting our aims to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. (PM Oct.’08).

www.bagsydesign.co.uk