• Reduction of Food Waste – Packaging Goals for the Industry

    December 16, 2013

    This article appeared in the October 2012 issue of El Empaque magazine.   A year ago, the FAO released a report Global Food Losses and Food Waste. Their key finding was that “roughly one-third of food produced in the world for human consumption every year – approximately 1.3 billion tonnes – gets lost or wasted.”  […]

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  • Innovation and Sustainability – A Combination to Unlock Value

    December 16, 2013

    This article appeared in the December 2012 issue of El Empaque magazine.   I recently attended the PDMA’S Product Innovation Management Conference and found the language of product innovation similar to what you hear at many sustainability conferences. The design processes that underlie much of product development and innovation are likewise similar to those that […]

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  • Thoughts on Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging

    January 31, 2014

    This article appeared in the February/March 2013 issue of El Empaque magazine.   Recovery of packaging materials after they have fulfilled their purpose is one area that industry and consumers universally agree needs improvement. It could lead to improved economic outcomes through jobs, new business opportunities, reduced waste, remanufactured materials, enhanced environmental outcomes and improvements […]

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  • New Recycling Initiative Offers Promising Recipe for Recovery

    February 11, 2014

    This article appeared in the February-March 2014 issue of El Empaque magazine. For great bread you need skilled bakers, quality ingredients and the right recipe. The same holds true for creating voluntary cross-sector recovery, and there is a new initiative in the Southeastern U.S. that is working toward that end this winter. It is being […]

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  • Sustainable Brands ’14 from Two Perspectives

    June 20, 2014

    SB’14 from Two Perspectives   Anne Johnson is a Principal and co-lead of the RRS Global Corporate Sustainability service sector. Anne brings over 20 years of multi-disciplinary experience in management consulting, environmental engineering, hydrology, and applied life cycle thinking. Hunt Briggs is a Consultant with RRS. Hunt brings a rich and diverse background working with […]

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  • Evolving Packaging Designs Challenge Current Recycling System

    August 28, 2014

    While communities drive diversion and brands desire recycling for everything, we are clearly challenging our recycling systems. Lack of knowledge about designing for commodity value and inattention to fundamental best practices is leaving recycling systems vulnerable to expensive alternatives. On August 27th, Anne Johnson, RRS Principal and Vice President Global Corporate Sustainability, spoke to a […]

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  • The Best of Diverted Intentions

    September 22, 2014

              The Best of Diverted Intentions In the policy realm disposal bans are used as a mechanism to divert material from disposal facilities and to drive reuse, recycling, composting or alternative types of recovery. The zero waste movement has picked up this idea and run with it. No one disputes that […]

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  • Slide Deck: Circular Economy and Business Case Paws2Recycle

    November 21, 2014

    EHSS Roundtable, Washington DC, Nov 2014 Susan Graff, RRS Vice President, recently presented on the need for a circular economy and the four key requirements to build it during the Environmental, Health, Safety and Sustainability (EHSS) Roundtable in Washington, D.C. In addition, RRS’s Anne Johnson presented Paws2Recycle, an example of industry action that will support […]

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  • Packaging: Wrapped in Recovery

    December 15, 2014

    Packaging: Wrapped in Recovery A Look Back and a Glimpse Forward Design and Development One need look no further than the grocery store aisles to see one of the major trends in packaging –stand up pouches with all variety of closures and innovative forms. Tuna in pouches, rice in pouches, cleaning products in pouches, we […]

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