I imagine all plastics will be out of the question. I’m wondering about what ways food packaging might become regulated to upcycling in the domestic or even commercial space. Assuming energy remains a $ scarce $ commodity I don’t imagine recycling glass will be super practical as a replacement. Do we move to more unpackaged goods and bring our own containers to fill at markets? Do we start running two way logistics chains where a more durable glass container is bought and returned to market? How do we achieve a lower energy state of normal in packaging goods?
Exactly, there is so much industrial waste before a product makes it to you. Yet everyone focuses on the consumer use which makes it inconvenient for the end user and ignores all the “invisible” waste which would require investment from businesses to fix but would have a far larger effect on the environment. Not being able to get a plastic straw or PE film bag doesn’t really improve anything since the alternatives are worse and in many cases far worse for the environment even when reused.
Which is cheaper, switch out manufacturing processes and change the whole industry, or tell the consumer in a commercial that it’s all on them?
Not really the manufacturing processes, but how individual parts are shipped and protected in transit. But yes, that is my complaint, put all the onus on the consumer without actually making any real improvements because the government isn’t mandating it.