Ode To Green Packaging

I was very pleased last year when I went to a product management meeting at Sony BMG Canada with MC Mario (yes, I work with MC Mario, he’s actually pretty cool) where the product reps revealed a new digipak entirely made of potato starch, meaning you can actually stick it in your compost bin when you’re done with it and off it goes back into the circle of life.

MC Mario sells several tens of thousands of CDs every year and the idea of those going out in compostable packages somehow makes me feel a lot better. Major labels must put out tons of waste every year, so I commend Sony BMG for their forward thinking.

And now for all the indies! I got an e-mail this morning from Montreal manufacturer Music Manufacturing Services, announcing their new eco-packaging, which features a digipak entirely made from recycled paper and bio-degradable wrapping.

For Earth Month this year, another major label got their hands dirty: UMG in a special partnership with Wal-Mart sold a selection of CDs in “green” packaging with an added bonus: a special insert about the green packaging, which could actually be planted to grow wildflowers. Another artsy company, and Canadian at that, Cargo Cosmetics has recently released a lipstick tube entirely made of corn, that comes in a plantable box.

Green ideas are often inspired by indies, and it’s nice to see the realm of culture and entertainment, which has always had a lot of influence on the populace, taking to greener pastures on a large scale. So just keep making noise about it!