Listening to one of my favorite industry podcasts recently, the conversation turned to the issue of banning plastic straws. Replacing those 500 Million straws used and discarded EVERY DAY in the U.S. with an eco-friendly solution was also the subject of a recent Brand Protector. If you missed that post, the bottom line is that what seems like a simple solution really isn’t.
What the promo veterans were discussing in their podcast was a matter of priorities. Handling the issue with a bit of humor, the point was made that in the grand scheme of world problems, we have bigger fish to fry than the much-maligned plastic straw. It’s a matter of perspective. While I can see that, I’d also argue it’s worth worrying about more than one problem at a time. Scientists have estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. Microplastics have been found in the stomachs of every type of marine life, from plankton to whales. Existing chemical pollutants are attracted to the surface of plastics and will often chemically attach themselves to microplastics. One study found some pollutants had concentrations a million times higher on the surface of plastic than in the surrounding water.
Reducing the amount of plastic waste we generate doesn’t really require all that much brainpower. Product avoidance on an individual level is a great way to do that- in addition to dropping the single-use straws, there’s eliminating shopping bags, water bottles, and styrofoam dishes, cups and utensils. You can make it a habit to check ingredient lists for polyethylene and just put those items back on the shelf, too.
But there are also times when I feel warnings may exceed the risk. Voters in New Jersey focused on taxes and infrastructure have given their senator, Bob Menedez, an earful on an initiative they consider over-reaching. Menedez wants the federal government to better protect beachgoers from flying beach umbrellas. At a press conference last week, Menendez called on the Consumer Product Safety Commission to develop an aggressive public safety and awareness campaign to remind people to properly stake it in the sand. There was one incident at the Jersey Shore last summer when a visitor from London was injured when a loose umbrella pole pierced her ankle. “Between 2010 and 2018, an estimated 2,800 people were rushed to emergency rooms with injuries sustained from beach umbrellas,” Menendez said. “I guess beach umbrella safety is always low on anybody’s list until you get impaled by one”.
Back to plastics for a second, now that the hotel industry is embracing eliminating single-use plastics in their restaurants, one chain is taking aim at their guest rooms, too. The IHG Group, which has 17 hotel brands including InterContinental and Holiday Inn, announced last week that it would be eliminating “bathroom miniatures” and replacing them with bulk products. Those tiny bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion will be disappearing in 2021 from 843,000 guest rooms in 5,600 hotels worldwide.
“Today’s customers and colleagues expect us to have less impact on the environment,” said Keith Barr, the chief executive of IHG. He called the company’s plastic straw ban, which was announced last October, only the first step in a wider sustainability program. “This, to me, was the next logical step.” The plastic mini bottles will be replaced by glass or ceramic refillable dispensers. Other chains will adopt similar initiatives and somebody (like you?) will need to both source and decorate them attractively with brand logos. Now that’s what I call a “win-win” opportunity for the promo business.
Jeff Jacobs has been an expert in building brands and brand stewardship for 40 years, working in commercial television, Hollywood film and home video, publishing, and promotional brand merchandise. He’s a staunch advocate of consumer product safety and has a deep passion and belief regarding the issues surrounding compliance and corporate social responsibility. He retired as executive director of Quality Certification Alliance, the only non-profit dedicated to helping suppliers provide safe and compliant promotional products. Before that, he was director of brand merchandise for Michelin. You can find him volunteering as a Guardian ad Litem, traveling the world with his lovely wife, or enjoying a cigar at his favorite local cigar shop. Connect with Jeff on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram, or reach out to him at jacobs.jeffreyp@gmail.com.