2011 Global Packaging Design Awards

Think your beverage packaging has what it takes to be Award Winning?! You must enter this competition, show off your design(s) and get the notoriety you deserve!

Beverage World magazine announced in their June issue that they are currently accepting entries for their 2011 Global Packaging Design Awards. The competition is open to any and all beverage packages introduced since September 2010. Entries will be judged on a variety of elements including graphic design and structural innovation. The deadline to submit your package is September 1, 2011. Award winners will appear in the November print edition of Beverage World and on beverageworld.com the same month. Winners will be recognized as the best in beverage packaging from all over the world so don’t miss your chance to be acknowledged. The submittal process is EASY! They are currently accepting samples of the package you wish to enter (samples are preferred) but you can also submit a photo or rendering by e-mail.

This is a great opportunity for all brands including those that have used ENSO Plastics to show off their earth friendly packaging and design.

How to enter

For those sending a sample
If you would like to send a sample of your package you need to e-mail Beverage World Managing Editor Andrew Kaplan at akaplan@beverageworld.com with the subject line “Packaging Awards” for information on where to ship your package. Don’t forget, the deadline to submit your package is September 1, 2011 .
For those e-mailing a photo or rendering
If you would rather send a photo or rendering, you need to e-mail Beverage World Managing Editor Andrew Kaplan at akaplan@beverageworld.com with the subject line “Packaging Awards” and you must include the following information (Remember the deadline to submit your package/photo/rendering is September 1, 2011 .)

• Brand Name
• Beverage Company Name
• Design firm name and location
• Name of key packaging supplier(s)
• Contact person’s name, e-mail, phone number & address
• A brief write-up explaining why the package should win

If you have any questions about the packaging awards, please contact Andrew Kaplan at akaplan@beverageworld.com or (347) 494-5731

Below are photos of beverage packages that I find extremely successful in the areas of design and marketing!

Beverage World Packaging Design Competition

Think your beverage packaging is one of The Best!? Get the exposure you deserve and enter this competition!

Beverage World magazine recently announced that they are now accepting entries for their 2011 Global Packaging Design Awards. The competition is open to any packages introduced since September 2010 and will be judged on a variety of elements such as graphic design and structural innovation. The deadline for entries is September 1, 2011. The winners will appear in the November print edition of Beverage World and on beverageworld.com the same month. Winners will be recognized as the best in beverage packaging from around the world so don’t miss this opportunity, the submittal process is EASY! They are currently accepting samples of the package you wish to enter (samples are preferred) but you can also submit a photo or rendering by e-mail.

This is a great opportunity for all brands including those that have used ENSO Plastics to show off their earth friendly packaging and design.

How to enter

For those sending a sample
If you wish to send a sample of your package you will need to e-mail Beverage World Managing Editor Andrew Kaplan at akaplan@beverageworld.com with the subject line “Packaging Awards” for information on where to ship your package. Remember the deadline to submit your package is September 1, 2011 .
For those e-mailing a photo or rendering
If you decide to send a photo or rendering, you need to e-mail Beverage World Managing Editor Andrew Kaplan at akaplan@beverageworld.com with the subject line “Packaging Awards” and you must include the following information (Remember the deadline to submit your package/photo/rendering is September 1, 2011 .)

If you have any questions about the packaging awards, please contact Andrew Kaplan at akaplan@beverageworld.com or (347) 494-5731

Here are some photos of beverage packages that I find extremely inspirational!

Industrial farming linked to massive Red Tides

I just finished watching the movie Dirt a film that (among other concepts) shows viewers the negative impacts of industrial farming practices and it really got me thinking….

Living on Florida’s gulf coast, from time to time the Tampa Bay Area is plagued by the infamous red tide. For those of you not familiar, red tide is created primarily by excess fertilizers used in farming that runoff into rivers and streams. These fertilizers eventually end up in coastal areas. The excess nutrients become a food source for phytoplankton to feed on, creating massive algae blooms in high concentration that leaves red colored trails in the water.

As the algae blooms die, microorganisms feed on the algae and deplete the dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Fish and other submarine life perish without vital oxygen. Also, one species of algae often associated with red tide produces neurotoxins that can be harmful to birds, humans, and other land animals. Red tide creates polluted beaches, full of dead fish and makes swimming and beach activities unsafe.

Christopher George- Aquatic Biologist
Tampa, FL

After thinking about all of this, my mind really started turning…With all of the concerns about the methane emissions of biodegradable plastics, what about the excess of fertilizers used when farming corn, is anyone concerned with how that will effect the earth/waters? Is there any fix that doesn’t have any faults? Does the spread of articles on the internet that misguide readers give us a sense of false concerns ? ( See my Is the methane released from biodegradable plastic harmful? Blog )

These are all things to definitely think about and talk about! Make sure to leave any of your thoughts in the comment box below, I look forward to this discussion!

-Megan Bentley

Thanks for the photos

http://www.thew2o.net/events/humanhealth/observer3.htm

What Is Industrial Farming Doing to Our World’s Oceans?

Christopher George- Aquatic Biologist
Tampa, FL

I just finished watching the movie Dirt a film that (among other concepts) shows viewers the negative impacts of industrial farming practices and it really got me thinking….

Living on Florida’s gulf coast, from time to time the Tampa Bay Area is plagued by the infamous red tide. For those of you not familiar, red tide is created primarily by excess fertilizers used in farming that runoff into rivers and streams. These fertilizers eventually end up in coastal areas. The excess nutrients become a food source for phytoplankton to feed on, creating massive algae blooms in high concentration that leaves red colored trails in the water.

As the algae blooms die, microorganisms feed on the algae and deplete the dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Fish and other submarine life perish without vital oxygen. Also, one species of algae often associated with red tide produces neurotoxins that can be harmful to birds, humans, and other land animals. Red tide creates polluted beaches, full of dead fish and makes swimming and beach activities unsafe.

These are all things to definitely think about and talk about! Make sure to leave any of your thoughts in the comment box below, I look forward to this dicsussion!

-Megan Bentley

Thanks for the photo

http://lauraweitnauer.blogspot.com/2010/09/urls.html

USF Student visits ENSO!

Here at the ENSO corporate office, we currently have a special guest visiting with us for 2 weeks. Heidi Grace Paintner, a student at the University of South Florida and is currently working on a project for her MA in Global Sustainability. The Patel School of Global Sustainability at the University of South Florida was the nation’s first school of its kind and is seen as an educational leader in this growing field. This program aims to train students to be leaders in the area environmental stewardship and prepares them for work in “green collar” occupations.

The title of Heidi’s thesis/project is PET Plastics: Biodegradability & Sustainable Packaging in the Bottled Beverage Industry. She found ENSO when researching solutions to the current landfill crisis the bottled beverage industry is struggling to resolve. We are very excited to be working with her and helping her to further develop her research in the area of sustainable beverage packaging.

Today was Heidi’s first day at the office. After meeting everyone and showing her what we do here at ENSO, ~~I helped her to develop a bottled beverage consumer survey. If you all could please take a moment to participate in this survey, Heidi and I would greatly appreciate it.~~ The survey is now closed.

The survey pertains to PET plant based plastics and the perception consumers have on their biodegradability. She will be using the results of this survey in her research project. Tomorrow she will meet with Del, the VP over our Environmental and Technology group and begin learning about the legislative issues that surround biodegradable plastics. ENSO is very excited to have Heidi with us for the next few weeks!

USF Patel School of Global Sustainability visits ENSO!

Here at the ENSO corporate office, we currently have a special guest visiting with us for 2 weeks. Heidi Grace Paintner, a student at the University of South Florida and is currently working on a project for her MA in Global Sustainability. The Patel School of Global Sustainability at the University of South Florida was the nation’s first school of its kind and is seen as an educational leader in this growing field. This program aims to train students to be leaders in the area environmental stewardship and prepares them for work in “green collar” occupations.

Heidi’s First Day

Today was Heidi’s first day at the office. After meeting everyone and showing her what we do here at ENSO, I helped her to develop a bottled beverage consumer survey. If you all could please take a moment to participate in this survey, Heidi and I would greatly appreciate it.

The survey pertains to PET plant based plastics and the perception consumers have on their biodegradability. She will be using the results of this survey in her research project. Tomorrow she will meet with Del, the VP over our Environmental and Technology group and begin learning about the legislative issues that surround biodegradable plastics. ENSO is very excited to have Heidi with us for the next few weeks!

Should Downcycling be considered Recycling?

When it comes to biodegradable plastics many people have something to say. Opinions range from appreciating the biodegradable technology, wanting all plastics to be banned, pushing for re-usable alternatives, being all for recycling, or having some other viewpoint. When it comes down to recycling, are plastics products even recycled?

One of the first steps at a recycling facility is the sorting of the items. At this point, plastic is sorted by type. (You can learn more about the different recycling numbers here.) Unfortunately, numerous facilities only process some of these types of plastic so the leftovers are either sold to another facility, or sadly thrown into a landfill. Note : Just because you place something in the recycling bin, don’t assume that it is going to be recycled.

The plastics that were kept by the facility will then be ground up into pieces and melted down. Once the plastic is melted, it is formed into pellets. These pellets, also known as nurdles, can be made into fibers used for all sorts of clothing, wood products, carpeting, toy stuffing, floor mats and tiles and other similar items.

This process is referred to as downcycling. When plastics are downcycled the plastic can only be used as something it was not originally used for, and once that life is over it typically ends in incineration or being thrown in a landfill.

Thanks for the info

http://www.wisegeek.com/how-is-plastic-recycled.html

The Influence of Packaging on your Purchase

Recently I have become extremely aware of the packaging of different products. Water bottles, flavored water, protein powder, gum, candy, food, soda, gum, shampoo, lotions, feminine products, toothpaste etc. all wrapped up in packaging to be sold and quickly thrown away never to be seen by the consumer again.

Whether a brand chooses to use earth friendly packaging materials (ex. ENSO plastics) standard plastic, or other materials, the way the product is packaged is carefully engineered in a way to grab potential customers attention.

Does Deceiving packaging really work?

Have you ever experienced a moment in a store where the packaging of a product looks so good that you purchase it and the product well, just ends up being disappointing? I know that I have. One time I purchased a flavored water that had juicy fruits, water splashes, and a vibrant name on the packaging. When I opened the drink and took a sip, I was so disappointed. There was no fruity flavor, vibrancy, or juiciness…it wasn’t even as quenching as plain water. Since then I have not purchased the drink again.

If the product does not live up to its packaging chances are people will eventually switch to a different product or brand. But if brands can convince customers to make that one purchase, is that successful to them? If two competing brands are exactly the same but one has better packaging, does that brand win?

Another thought, can packaging ever be so good that it gains loyal customers just because of its packaging?

These are just some things to think about. Next time you’re in a store try to be aware of what you’re thinking when choosing a product(s). Let me know how much you let packaging influence your decision! I am interested to hear everyone’s thoughts on this topic.

Methane Emission Concerns for Compostable Plastics Not Biodegradable

Research and articles about biodegradable plastics releasing methane too quickly in landfills have been taking over the internet this past June. An alarming title to draw readers in, splashed on a article/blog written with bits of information that have trickled down from a once reliable source. Is biodegradable really harmful??

The original research was performed using “compostable plastics” designed to break down in as fast as 180 days! ENSO Plastics are not “compostable plastics”.

ENSO is a global company and recognizes that some people aren’t as far ahead in methane-friendly landfill technology as North America (Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Program at http://www.epa.gov/lmop ). The fact is that even banana peels and apple cores release methane in a landfill as a natural byproduct of biodegradation.

Common sense says that truly “Earth Friendly Plastics” are not in a race to biodegrade as quickly as possible for many reasons. ENSO Plastics are engineered to biodegrade in a controlled manner; between 5 and 15 years in real-world landfill conditions. This strikes a wonderful balance between a manageable release of naturally occurring biogases and the timely breakdown of plastic waste in a landfill. Just another example as to why ENSO is the answer to today’s plastic problem.

Are methane emissions good or bad?

The original research was performed using “compostable plastics” designed to break down in as fast as 180 days! ENSO Plastics are not “compostable plastics”.

ENSO is a global company and recognizes that some people aren’t as far ahead in methane-friendly landfill technology as North America (Environmental Protection Agency’s Landfill Methane Program at http://www.epa.gov/lmop ). The fact is that even banana peels and apple cores release methane in a landfill as a natural byproduct of biodegradation.

Common sense says that truly “Earth Friendly Plastics” are not in a race to biodegrade as quickly as possible for many reasons. ENSO Plastics are engineered to biodegrade in a controlled manner; between 5 and 15 years in real-world landfill conditions. This strikes a wonderful balance between a manageable release of naturally occurring biogases and the timely breakdown of plastic waste in a landfill. Just another example as to why ENSO is the answer to today’s plastic problem.