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Let me introduce you to SPRING, which stands for sustainable packaging research, information and networking organization. It is a virtual think tank that can help policy makers, media, business leaders and thought leaders make effective decisions on the creation, use and recycling of packaging, so as to provide consumers and their communities with the best environmental, economic and social value .

The group includes scientists, consultants, engineers, thought leaders and packaging practitioners, covering all types of packaging: paper, plastic, glass, metal, biological materials, etc.

Our efforts are based on sound science, transparency, and respect for those we agree and disagree with. Personal attacks, self-promotion and political agendas are not tolerated.

My LinkedIn page has been converted into a SPRING global forum to explore all the issues that affect sustainable packaging decisions. Anyone can participate in our public discussion. Just request to contact us, or follow us.

I started thinking about this concept in 1995, when I was working on a project called "Informed Decision Center". The goal then was the same as it is now: to help ensure that future decisions about the environment and the so-called sustainable development at the time are based on sound science.

About six months ago, I decided to seriously consider this idea because the amount of misinformation about plastics and other packaging materials started to grow exponentially. I also realized that after about 30 years as a sustainable packaging consultant, I now have the connections, expertise, experience, and credibility that make SPRING come to life.

We have four levels of participants, all of whom have a high reputation and qualifications in materials science, packaging, food safety and waste, mechanical and chemical recycling, environmental policy and law, and supply chain management. At the top is my advisory board-people with recognized management and functional expertise. They help guide the direction of SPRING and provide the group with many years of operating experience.

The core layer is our subject matter experts (SME), they are scholars, engineers and scientists. University intellectuals and stubborn businessmen are well combined. This grouping can sometimes lead to heated discussions, but it ensures that we look at the problem from multiple angles and develop multiple solutions.

The next group of people may actually be SMEs, but for personal reasons or legal reasons related to their employers, they are called individual contributors. This is just a creative way for me to build my "dream team" without stepping on political hands and feet.

Finally, we have some young Ph.Ds and postdocs who are doing research for us. Over time, we would love to see the work they do with us, as well as their own work, so that they can grow into SME roles.

You can view the complete list of participants and learn more about them by visiting https://www.springpack.net/about. You are free to seek help or advice from any of our experts. I think you will be surprised at who you will interact with and their interest in helping you make better sustainable packaging decisions.

We did not, at least not directly. Most of us are about to retire and just want to apply what we have learned in the past 30 to 40 years, which is actually "giving back."

In addition, we do not accept donations because we want to maintain our independence and credibility. However, if the organization wishes to hire any of our SMEs for consulting work, they are free to do so. 

We are against waste in energy and materials. We don't have any position on materials, because we need the largest toolbox to view solutions for specific applications and packaging. Most problems are global. But most solutions need to be localized, which requires us to keep an open mind as much as possible.

In other words, most of our expertise is in the field of plastics, because this is a group of materials that the public, the media, and policy makers are most concerned about. However, we are also constantly accumulating our expertise in paper, metal and glass.

We have created a sustainable packaging roadmap, which lists our definition of sustainable packaging and the key goals, strategies and tactics needed to achieve the goals. It is located on our website https://www.springpack.net/roadmap.

If you look at this page, you will see our "Sustainable Packaging Wheel" at the top (and shown at the top of this article).

On November 18th, which is the 25th anniversary of "Use Less Day" (I started with the famous "junk scientist" William (Bill) Rathje), we will release a A complete presentation to help packaging developers and decision makers create more sustainable packaging and perform this operation for any city, state, country or continent on the planet.

We are also working on four position papers that will delve into key topics related to this roadmap and the general interest of packaging policy. these are:

Likewise, the best place to learn more is the SPRING website. You can also contact us by clicking the red button on the top navigation bar or writing to me at [email protected].

Robert (Bob) Lilienfeld has worked in sustainable packaging for 25 years as a marketing executive, consultant, strategic planner, editor, writer and communications expert. He is the President of Robert Lilienfeld Consulting and works with material suppliers, processors, trade associations, retailers and brand owners.

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