SRFERGU@ERENJ.BITNET (Scott Ferguson) (06/04/90)
I was just struggling to get the plastic wrappers off some software manuals when I was struck with the urge to spout off some environmental awareness (yes, there are many of us in this company who care)... Software manuals have a usable life of a couple months any more before they've got to be updated and/or thrown out. Nevertheless, we package them in plastic shrink-wrap to preserve their lives. Assuming that shippers and handlers don't dip things in water (maybe that's to trusting), do we really need to wrap everything in plastic? Here at work, we've got a massive recycling effort going on, but you know it's always better to not use at all instead of use then re-use. Computers always seem so clean and free of environmental problems (mainly because the chip manufacturers are so far away), but they're not immune, what say we start sending correspondence to HP/Apollo's packaging folks, or maybe someone inside who reads this can forward such sentiments to the right people? Besides, the plastic wrap is a pain in the #$ to get off anyway, especially when you've got a roomfull of manuals to update. Thanks for tuning in, Scott Ferguson Exxon Research & Engineering Annandale, NJ 08801 (201) 730-2339 srfergu@erenj.bitnet
shwake@raysnec.UUCP (Ray Shwake) (06/05/90)
In article <9006041348.AA05354@umix.cc.umich.edu> SRFERGU@ERENJ.BITNET (Scott Ferguson) writes: >Software manuals have a usable life of a couple months any more before >they've got to be updated and/or thrown out. Nevertheless, we package them >in plastic shrink-wrap to preserve their lives. Assuming that shippers >and handlers don't dip things in water (maybe that's to trusting), do we >really need to wrap everything in plastic? >Exxon Research & Engineering I'm sure some engineers have developed, or could develop, a biodegradable wrap. Of course, the machines that currently shrink wrap would have to be replaced by something able to handle the substitute material. A still greater contribution would be made if petrochemical plants would limit their toxic discharges, and tankers and other ocean-going vessels would limit their spillage. Not trying to start a name-calling thread... the government does more than its share too (see Rolling Stone's environmental survey in April).