Wegmans Goes Green With Packaging

Supermarket News reports that Wegmans introduces sustainable packaging and sustainable containers in its fresh food areas.

Another good step for the environment. Now only if Wegmans and other stores would get rid of plastic bags and require reusable bags.

More from Wegmans consumer specialist Mary Ellen Burris about green packaging:

A recent step: change all the Asian Wokery Bar food containers (the little red boxes) from pure, bleached paper to those made of 100% recycled paper (35% is post consumer paper; the rest is scrap paper generated during manufacturing). The new boxes perform just like the “old” ones; only the color now is “Kraft” or brown. On the salad and food bars, we’re adding a “green” choice; a similar material of 100% recycled paper. We’ll be watching for customer reaction and would love your feedback.

Is Massachusetts Really Green and Eco Friendly?

The utterly lame three-week shutdown of the Massachusetts House of Representatives over the alcohol license for a proposed Wegmans in Westwood raises an interesting question: how eco-friendly is Massachusetts?

According to an editorial in the Enterprise News:

It's a ridiculous situation, but that's because the state's post-Prohibition alcohol regulatory framework is ridiculous. There is no good reason liquor licenses should be limited at all, except to protect some businesses against competition from other businesses.

Two reactions:

a.) Agreed...ridiculous. It's 2008...makes little sense.

b.) Why force people to drive to multiple stores to get their goods? Doesn't that create more carbon emissions? Do we really want more cars on the road for short little trips instead of giving consumers the choice -- the choice -- to combine errands in as few places as possible? Of course, the "mom and pop" beer and wine stores may suffer, but people can still choose to shop there or Wegmans or Walmart.

Seems strange that liberal Massachusetts is somewhat eco-unfriendly and anti-choice.

Bye Bye Plastic?

Amen! According to a Wegmans sustainability staff member (as reported on WROC-TV):

"...plates at the prepared food bars made of polystyrene with a number six recycle code. Jason Wadsworth, a sustainability specialist at Wegmans, says that material cannot be recycled at the recycling centers near Wegmans stores. They're working to change that by phasing in new fiber plates.

"We're moving toward more number one and number two recycle code plastics, which are widely recycled," said Wadsworth.

Buy Local at Wegmans

I was at the Scranton-Wilkes Barre store over the weekend and noticed the farm fresh delivery signs at the front door -- a map of where food local food was delivered from and what was new in the market. I thought it was a great visual I hadn't noticed at other stores. Here's more info from Wegmans about buying local food, which helps promote sustainable living.