The Real Truth About Overpackaging -- Version 3.4

Overpackaging is a real danger. It’s not just about wacky feel-good stuff like “Saving the environment” or “Keeping America from becoming an endless pile of rotting corrugated boxes” or “Scoring points with that cute girl from Greenpeace" (okay, it might be about that).

No, the battle against overpackaging isn’t about environmental stuff. This is about keeping people from going totally insane. 

Think about. We’ve got enough on our mind without having to expend massive amounts of brain cells on the question of how to open that damned Spice Girls Concert DVD (so I’ve heard).

Rather, the question of overpackaging is really about quality of life. And for that, Amazon.com’s recently-launched efforts to eliminate frustrating packaging are noble indeed. 

And the PR they’re getting from it is insane! Who cares about the environment – that press release showed up everywhere. (I even ran the story, and that’s definitely saying something about how obvious it is.) 

But whether Amazon’s motivation was to make themselves feel good by applying a few million eyeballs to their site from the PR, or maybe to genuinely make people’s lives easier, the end result is worthwhile. 

Someone is asking the right questions, and tackling the tough issues. And they deserve attention for it. 

Now watch this cute, deeply insightful video commentary on the subject. It wouldn’t be an Eye on Packaging post without something at least a little frivolous. 

I have a reputation to preserve, after all.

FedUp

Photo of angry package-opening guy by Paul Fisher, Flickr.com
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