Wes Carter, President of Atlantic Packaging and founder of A New Earth Project, talks with Mitch Ratcliffe, publisher and host of Earth911’s Sustainability in Your Ear podcast, about making packaging and commerce more sustainable on the latest episode of Sustainability in Your Ear. Earth911.com is the largest recycling database in the nation, and its podcast Sustainability in Your Ear educates and informs consumers, businesses, and communities of inspiring innovators that facilitate eco-friendly impacts.
Sustainable packaging applications need to be tailored to their intended purpose whether that be business-to-business or business-to-consumer. Wes discusses how Atlantic intends to eliminate as much business-to-consumer single-use plastic as possible to prevent plastic pollution from leaking into the environment. When it comes to business-to-business sustainability, Wes believes that creating closed-loop systems between businesses is crucial. Businesses working together to achieve circularity will allow for more sustainable packaging recycling.
Atlantic Packaging is dedicated to making recycling easier for businesses and consumers through investing in recycling infrastructure and it’s A New Earth Project initiative. Atlantic has invested heavily in recycling technology to assist in creating a marketplace for recycled material. Wes believes used materials should be thought of as a resource rather than waste. A New Earth Project is a strategic collaboration between the global surfing and outdoor enthusiast communities and the global packaging supply chain. Its mission is to rid the world’s oceans, lakes, and rivers of plastic pollution.
Minimizing carbon emissions is important to Atlantic’s sustainability goals and the health of the planet. Atlantic is working to minimize its carbon footprint by investing in renewable energy, working with other companies to enter a virtual purchase power agreement to further decarbonize the energy grid through collective solar use at scale, and switching to hybrid and electric vehicles.
The future of packaging and sustainability in business is exciting, and Atlantic is ready for the challenge of leading the industry in regards to sustainability. Wes believes recycling infrastructure, policy, and innovation in the packaging space will lead to a healthier future.