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I've not understood why we don't use standardized reusable packaging to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. There was an economic freedom argument in the

I've not understood why we don't use standardized reusable packaging to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions. There was an economic freedom argument in the past, but the externalities are just proving too great to say that, you know, my company needs its beer or sweet drink or water in a special one-time-use, resource-intensive, air and ocean-polluting bottle. If every company has to comply, market competition will be left unhampered (or perhaps improved as firms would be pushed to compete more on product and less on brainwashing--sorry I mean branding). I remember pleasantly gazing at the shape of a Perrier bottle as a child. Nice, but not nice enough to warrant so many tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

enra 8y ago
This is how it works in several countries in Europe, Nordics and Germany I think. Each grocery store has to have bottle recycler that scans and accepts only the correct bottles and cans. Cans get crushed and bottles, including plastic ones, get washed and recycled. You get 5-15cents store credit per bottle which you then can buy things with or cash out. Most households recycle their bottles while going to the grocery store. As a student, this was great when you hosted parties and next morning you would take the empties to the store and get like 15-40euros worth of credit.