#23: Food Waste Vs. Plastic Waste
Someone encountered these delicious pomelos while out at the grocery store one day. The problem was that they couldn’t smell or touch them to make sure they were ripe. Each pomelo was individually wrapped in plastic! At first glance, this use of plastic seems completely unnecessary. Pomelos come with tough skin that acts as natural packaging.
However, food production and distribution are huge operations. Some companies shrink-wrap their produce to maintain freshness and keep out pests. These pomelos might be wrapped in plastic to ensure even ripening, reduce disease, and reduce food waste. This packaging is an example of how companies weigh the cost between food waste and over-the-top plastic use.