Read about Walmart's packaging and sustainability objectives by clicking here.

According to this website, one of Walmart's goals is "Be packaging neutral globally by 2025". What do you think it means to become packaging neutral? According to their website, what challenges are they facing in becoming packaging neutral?

Watch this video by clicking here.

Secret Life of Walmart's Deli Pizza Box. Does this box meet your definition of packaging neutral?

Respond to each post(3) with 100 words minimum and please answer each post in order

Andrew1

Good evening and Aloha class. This week's topic is interesting to me because since I've been in Hawaii I've noticed the importance of recycling materials in order to increase sustainability on the island. One of the small changes I've made is returning the mountain of plastic grocery bags I've amassed to the grocery store and invested in a few reusable bags.

In terms of Walmart's efforts to become packaging neutral, my personal definition would be: To implement a process that creates durable packaging from recycled materials, using environmentally-sound methods. This can include a closed loop recycling system or reusing packaging materials that would otherwise be discarded in landfills by the organization, customers, or even the suppliers and distributors.

Walmart's biggest challenge to utilize neutral packaging is the contributions from related--yet external--entities. These entities include the consumer and the links along the Walmart supply chain. Walmart does not operate with 100% vertical integration in their supply chain, so they must source products responsibly, by implementing contractual clauses that specify the mandatory use of neutral packaging. Another challenge pinpointed by Walmart's website is the lack of infrastructure that supports recycling ("Eliminating Waste," 2017, para. 4).

In viewing the provided video, I would say that this method of packaging is neutral, and is leading Walmart to a successful path of sustainable operations. But once again, the video pertains to Walmart's deli pizza--something they have implemented vertical integration to create, package, ship and sell. It is Walmart's challenge to ensure that suppliers are using the same methods to achieve sustainability.

Corey2

I think that packaging neutral means that a company will have zero impact on the emissions of Green House Gasses (GHG) along with creating zero waste, and using renewable energy. There are a few things that are challenging when dealing with becoming packaging neutral. One of the things is getting more awareness of customers. Walmart wants customers to ask two questions when picking up a product from the store.

The first is "what's in it" and the other is "will it do what I need it to do" (Bedore, 2017). They want people to be more aware of the impact products have on the environment. Walmart is also struggling with finding companies that want to go green. This can be due to the costs of transferring a company's equipment into becoming more environmental friendly.

Walmart packaging neutral pizza boxes is a step in the right direction but it is not fully packaging neutral. Because of the emissions of GHG during the transportation and manufacturing of the packaging, the deli pizza boxes fail to be 100% packaging neutral. I do believe that it is a step in the right direction and that it is cutting a lot of emissions of GHG related to Walmart.

If they can lead the way and have all of their packages used by this material and set the example for other companies, then more companies will be willing to follow. This will result in a drastic decline in GHG emitted into the environment. It will also aid in a decrease in costs for companies to transfer into an environmental friendly company.

Kurt3

This week, we read about Walmart's packaging and sustainability objectives and saw a video called "Secret Life of Walmart's Deli Pizza Box." The video explains how Walmart plans on taking an existing product like their used cardboard boxes and turn them into a new packaging product for their pizza. One of Walmart's goals is to "Be packaging neutral globally by 2025."

The video explains how Walmart wants to achieve this goal and it makes sense. For a company like Walmart to be packaging neutral by 2025, they need to figure out how they can store all over their current products in reusable packages. I feel that this can be achieved, but will require a lot of logistical work on Walmart's part. I think the effort is worth it and might draw in more customers. Hopefully, this trend will continue to grow among other major corporations to become packaging neutral. The most difficult thing I see that the company is facing in becoming packaging neutral deals with the harmful chemicals that the packages contain that make them difficult to recycle.

Another difficulty that Walmart may currently be dealing with is finding providers for the different packaging items. We saw the video for making the boxes for the pizza containers and it said they make other packages as well, but who will convert their plastics and other containers? I am sure they will figure it out and there are recycling corporations out there that can do it, but a lot of research needs to be done in a short period of time to pull it off by 2025. Honestly, I think it would be great if Walmart could pull it off and would set the tone for other to follow.