• Understand the decisions related to advantages and disadvantages of packaging and processes.
• Use resources (people, references, Internet) to gain knowledge.
• Consider environmental impact of (re)designing products.

The goal is for students to understand the basics of engineering associated with packaging products and the potential impact on the environment. Packaging around consumer products serves many purposes. By holding pre-measured quantities of products, packaging makes items easier to store, ship, stack, and price. Packaging offers protection from damage or breakage, as well as preservation so that food spoilage is minimized. Packages can also provide information about its contents and help in marketing the product.

One strategy that helps to minimize the waste from packaging is source reduction. In contrast to reusing and recycling, this strategy is employed before items are packaged. In effect source reduction means not using packaging that is not needed and using less of what is necessary. Reducing packaging in this manner has the greatest potential to save resources and slow down landfill depletion rates.

The four types of source reduction are lighter packaging, larger-sized packaging, flexible vs. rigid packaging, and eliminating or reducing water.

Lighter Packaging: Surprisingly, this is more important than using recyclable packaging. Since recycling levels are so low, we can usually create less packaging by choosing lighter-weight materials. (For an example, see Worksheet A: Mathematics of Packaging.) When it comes to weight, paperboard, plastic, and aluminum are all efficient packaging sources.

Larger-sized Packaging: In addition to providing cost savings, buying things in bulk provides packaging savings. (See example in Worksheet A: Mathematics of Packaging.) Consumers should only buy quantities that can be used up so that spoilage does not offset the packaging reduction benefits.

Flexible vs. Rigid Packaging: Flexible pouches can weigh up to 75 to 90% less than the rigid containers that they replace. They are also easier to compact, which means they take up less space in landfills. A dramatic example to illustrate this is that juice boxes are 90% lighter and take up 70% less volume than the glass bottle they replace.

Eliminating or Reducing Water: Having products in concentrated, powdered, or dried forms allows for more efficient packaging. Powdered detergents are now available in concentrated forms, so the consumer gets more washes from a small box.

• Gather a variety of packaging to show as examples. Make up bags of examples for each group.
• Photocopy worksheets A and B for the class.

Part 1: Redesigning Packaging

1. Spend a few minutes guiding the students to share their observations about the purposes of packaging. Also discuss the differences between source reduction, recycling, and reusing products. Make sure the students understand that this activity is about source reduction and not the latter two strategies. Go over the 4 types of source reduction. Give the students Worksheet A: Mathematics of Packaging and have them work through the problems. (Answers are included.) This exercise highlights the importance of source reduction in light of the low recycling rates in the U.S.
2. Break the class up into groups of 3 to 4 students. Give each group a bag containing packaging from three products. Have the students think about the reasons that each kind of packaging is used. With those as a starting point, think about ways that the packaging could be reduced without compromising the product in any way. It may be necessary to alter the product slightly such as eliminating water to reduce bulk.
3. The students should use the table on Worksheet B: Packaging to help them determine the purpose of each piece of packaging material. Have students think about whether the packaging is necessary and if so, how it might be reduced.
4. Have students draw the new packaging and discuss the ways that they changed it and why.

Part 2: Sharing Solutions

1. Have each group of students decide which of their packaging solutions they are most proud of. Then ask for a group volunteer to show their design and explain its merits.
2. After the group has explained the design, highlight which of the four methods of source reduction they utilized. Ask another group, who used a similar strategy to explain what they did. This will show how the same strategy may be suitable for many different products. If no groups used the same strategy, then ask a group that utilized a different strategy to share their design with the class.
3. Allow each group to discuss a packaging solution. If all four methods of source reduction have not been discussed, use examples to try to get the students to discuss all four methods.
4. Have a discussion about how the students approached the problem like engineers. Also discuss what types of jobs are involved in packaging.