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Environmental Footprints

Show Profile  Michael Posted: 5 March 2009, 5:48 AM  
We're pretty good at leaving no trace after our activities. But there may be some other ways we can be even friendlier on the environment. Without imposing unreasonable costs especially of volunteer time. This thread is to explore these ideas.

Show Profile  Michael Posted: 5 March 2009, 6:04 AM  
I run a small shop and increasingly deliver by mail. Some of the packaging that products come in, increases the size of the item, pushing the postage up a notch. This is a cost to either buyer or seller, and presumably represents a real energy cost moving packaging around. A compass for example could go at letter rate if it wasn't for the packaging. LED headlamps are quite small, but the packaging is an awkward shape for wrapping and I end up putting it in a shoebox which further increases the size!

Would it be acceptable to remove the packaging before dispatch? Or would this affect efforts to give orienteering a more professional image?

Show Profile  ML Posted: 5 March 2009, 3:23 PM  
As long as the item arrives in good condition it doesnt matter to me if the original packaging is removed. Most packaging is a complete waste of energy and materials.

Show Profile  Tane Cambridge Posted: 5 March 2009, 5:03 PM  
Why bother? the packing is still put on the item at the factory half a world away and shipped here, when you remove the package your still going to chuck it in the bin and off to the dump/recycling plant it will go transported in a big fat dump truck. So your going to repackage the item for travel thus not really doing anything other than changing the shape of the item. You might benefit in the parcel size (weight difference may be very small depending on the packaging) but that only effects the customer/supplier in terms of money. If you want to make a real difference in the environmental footprint attack it at the source...the manufacturer.

Show Profile  Michael Posted: 5 March 2009, 6:12 PM  
Tane you will have heard the sports psych slogan "control the controllables" ie forget about what you can't influence. You and I can influence moving parcels around New Zealand. The headlamp is an extreme case but the postal saving would be 50% to NI destinations, 67% to the SI. And this is presumably related to resource use.

But I welcome your opinion.

Show Profile  Ellmo1769 Posted: 5 March 2009, 6:17 PM  
Yes

Show Profile  Michael Posted: 12 March 2009, 9:54 AM  
I'm not a great fan of PC stuff, but do any clubs have an environmental policy I could look at? I'm thinking that a list of half a dozen bullet points on a website might be a proactive move, might avoid having to react to some land authority's requirements.

My club might need to tidy up on prompt removal of small ribbons used for Q&A controls and temporarily marking control sites.

Show Profile  SimonB Posted: 15 March 2009, 6:30 PM  
i think papo has an environment thing going on with the city council or regional council... dunno really

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