Transforming Your Marine Tourism Business With Recyclable And Compostable Packaging

May 9

Recyclable and compostable packaging usage has risen across all industries, driven by the negative consumer sentiment towards plastic and other non-recyclable materials.

A particularly striking statistic is that 75% of surveyed companies worldwide have committed to sustainable packaging solutions.

Regulatory, societal, and consumer pressures drive companies toward packaging their products responsibly, utilizing recyclable, biodegradable, and non-toxic materials.

The earth’s current precarious state demands these environmentally protective packaging measures. Moving in this direction is one of the only ways businesses can reduce their carbon footprints, giving them a healthy facelift for their public relations and improving customer satisfaction.

While compostable and recyclable packaging benefits all ecosystems, its role in saving the world’s aquatic ecosystems and marine life is of dramatic significance. After all, the world is 71% water.

Below, we’ll further investigate how these green-forward packaging solutions promote sustainable practices within the marine tourism industry.

How Does Plastic Packaging Adversely Impact Marine Life?

The UN Environment Program cites research on over 75,000 bodies of water in almost 90 countries. The study discovered that 40% of the surveyed water was severely polluted.

Plastic is a primary contributor to the above issue.

Our oceans currently hold 5.25 trillion estimated pieces of plastic. An estimated 13 million metric tons of plastic reach the ocean yearly—a garbage truck’s worth of trash every 60 seconds.

Here are only a few examples of the adverse impact this level of plastic pollution is having on marine wildlife:

The UN cites 800 species globally impacted by marine debris (of which 80% is plastic).

Sea turtles, seabirds, fish, and marine mammals become entangled in plastics and frequently ingest them. Drowning and suffocation often follow. Starvation is another potential outcome. To the previous point, sea turtles can mistake plastic for food and think they’re satiated, causing them to starve.

Getting more specific: A gray whale died stranded close to Seattle in 2010, with 20-plus plastic bags (amongst other debris) in its stomach. Similarly, a deceased seal pup was found on the Scottish island of Sky when a small piece of plastic wrapper destroyed its intestines.

The Growing Presence Of Recyclable Packaging In The Marine Tourism Industry

Let’s quickly veer away from marine tourism and briefly examine the maritime shipping industry.

Maritime shipping industry players aim to leverage every possible way to drive sustainability through green-friendly measures, such as recycling and reusing their packaging.

In a shipping sense, packaging is a crucial part of an overarching sum. Companies aiming to enhance the eco-friendliness of their shipping processes (from the fuel they use to the routes they take) see their packaging as a critical difference-maker.

This shift to compostable and reusable packaging in maritime shipping has two-pronged results. First, the environmental benefits are—and ought to be—the most noteworthy triumph. However, companies also find that moving towards these sustainable, leaner solutions enhances their shipping efficiency.

While our clients aren’t logistics companies by nature, they deal with their own type of logistics and have lessons they can learn from sustainable maritime shipping practices.

From cruise ships to island resorts, a shift toward recycling and reusing helps the environment while making your businesses more efficient.

We’re already seeing the cruise industry taking tremendous strides in the right direction.

Nearly 100% of cruise lines have decreased reliance on single-use plastics (including packaging) on their ships. Furthermore, experts estimate ships have increased recycling by 60% since streamlining their reduction, reusing, and recycling approaches.

Emerging Recyclable Packaging Solutions

Below are crucial innovations in the recyclable and compostable packaging space that directly impact the marine tourism industry.

Sustainable Food Packaging

Your tourism business wouldn’t be the first to advocate against plastic pollution. However, a host of allies would welcome you with open arms.

Whether a cruise ship or a hotel/island resort by the ocean, plastics can end up in the water and damage the surrounding ecosystems.

A prime culprit can be food packaging—when it’s not sustainable. Conversely, explicitly recyclable, reusable, or compostable food packaging will help cut down significantly on plastic waste that can end up in the water.

Boats and resorts can avoid using single-use plastics when serving guests food, expanding the life cycles of their products.

Packaging with renewable plant-based materials or similarly reusable or compostable products will establish a circular economy. As such, they’ll reduce the amount of plastic packaging waste that ends up in the water.

Examples of this green-friendly, sustainable food packaging include:

Wood paper pulp is perfect for takeout containers, cups, bowls, and plates.
Sugarcane is often used as a clamshell, takeout box, or container.
Bamboo makes disposable cups compostable.
Birchwood is ideal for disposable cutlery.

Seeking Recyclable Packaging Solutions

Ocean/island resorts and cruise ships must consider all angles when seeking recycling and reusing opportunities.

For instance, consider something easily overlooked, like your shampoo bottles. Instead of using the mini ones so frequently found in guest rooms, replace them with larger soap dispensers that get used repeatedly.

Considering that a staggering 550 million empty shampoo bottles (equal to 1,164 football fields) are wasted yearly, these measures can significantly reduce marine tourism industry plastic pollution. On top of that, we’re not even including conditioners or body washes in the statistics cited.

Don’t Forget Labels

Our clients' brands often benefit from producing packaging with labels, and this process shouldn’t be overlooked in terms of its impact on sustainability.

When you need to print labels, favor water-based inks and use FSC-certified or recycled paper. Shifting to digital documentation instead of printed paperwork will also help cut down on the rest of your waste.

What Does The Future Hold For Recyclable Packaging In The Marine Tourism Industry?

We can promise that recyclable packaging innovations will continue to make a splash in the marine tourism industry.

As pioneers and game-changers continue pushing boundaries and discovering new sustainability approaches, there will be more opportunities to reuse, renew, repurpose, and compost.

Whether these methods catch on will revolve around industry decision-makers’ willingness to engage in the related opportunities. A shift to recyclable packaging requires complete buy-in from all involved, and that starts from the top.

Sea Going Green works with marine tourism industry leaders like you.

We’re a sustainable tourism consultancy helping clients provide socially and environmentally responsible guest experiences. Schedule an exploratory call with one of our experts today to discover what sustainability can do for your business.