Sustainability
Plastic Neutral
In Partnership with CleanHub
CleanHub is an international organization that works to clean up plastic before it enters the ocean.
We chose to work with CleanHub because in addition to supporting an incredible mission, their technology provides real time visibility and transparency into what’s happening in the Hubs.
What does it mean for Olive My Pickle to be a Plastic Neutral brand?
A portion of each sale here at OMP goes toward the collection of ocean bound plastic. Olive My Pickle is a sponsor of CleanHub’s No Trash Triangle, located in Indonesia. Through this partnership, Olive My Pickle will offset our plastic contribution by 100% in 2023.
Local “Reuse It” Campaign
In 2023, Olive My Pickle eliminated the use of plastic containers at our farmers markets, switching to a liquid-friendly paper option. A price increase occurred for products purchased in paper cups.
However, customers that bring their own containers for reuse (plastic or glass is fine) will continue to receive access to the original, lower prices.
Our goal is to incentivize our community to adopt these new habits by grandfathering them into a lower price when they bring containers for refill.
Together we'll make these positive changes!
Earth Friendly Packaging
You can feel good about what goes in your box. Fermented foods do not require the use of Styrofoam and dry ice.
Reusable gel packs are 100% recyclable and non-toxic.
Our insulated packaging material is made from natural fibers that are compostable and biodegrade in 27 weeks.
Boxes are made from 100% recycled cardboard.
FAQs
Why do you package in plastic?
We do use plastic to package our products here at Olive My Pickle. We’ve researched alternatives such as PCR (post consumer recycled), bioplastics like PLA and compostables, but these are not yet viable options for shipping our heavier, liquid products.
As demand rises from consumers and manufacturers to find more sustainable plastic solutions, the plastic industry will continue to innovate bioplastic and compostable options that brands with products like ours can use.
In the meantime, we’re doing what we can to put our money where our mouth is, offsetting our contribution by attaining Plastic Neutral status with CleanHub.
Why not package your products in glass?
It’s an understandable question. Years ago, when Olive My Pickle sold on grocery store shelves, we packaged our products in glass jars. However, our move online required us to find a more flexible packaging option.
That’s because glass can break in transit. Most glass shipped through the mail requires extensive plastic bubble wrap to protect it from breakage. Although glass is considered the “greener” option, we’ve learned there’s more to the story.
Did you know that virgin glass is made from non renewable sand that is typically dredged from coastal habitats? And surprisingly, producing glass actually creates more carbon emissions than the production of plastic. The transport and storage of glass is costlier than plastic where fossil fuels are concerned due to its weight and volume. Finally, when glass is not recycled and ends up in a landfill, it takes one million years to degrade—by contrast, plastic takes between 400-1000 years. (Study: Brock and Williams, Life Cycle Assessment of Beverage Packaging, Detritus: Multidisciplinary Journal for Waste Resources & Residues, 2019.)
All that said, we love reusing glass containers! That’s why we are partnering with our local community to Reuse It, a campaign we launched at our farmers markets whereby we give a 25% discount to our customers to bring their own containers.
Are you claiming that plastic is a greener option than glass?
No, we are presenting the facts and busting the myth that glass is a sustainable choice. The truth is that neither glass or plastic are truly sustainable. We’re living at the crossroads of the plastic age and the information age. Awareness of our dependence on plastic conflicts with our knowledge that things must change. Beyond household recycling and practicing conscience consumption, what else can be done?
Here are three things:
- As consumers and manufacturers, we can pressure packaging companies to continue to innovate. This is already happening, but it takes time for the technology to develop. At OMP, we are participating in this effort and staying aware of the latest innovations. We’ll adopt better options when they exist.
- “Plastic doesn’t walk itself into the oceans. People do that.” says the CEO of CleanHub. Better waste management systems that support a more circular economy are key. Learn about the next-generation efforts already taking place in your community that you can engage with and support.
- Remember: “We don't need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly.” -Anne Marie Bonneau
As an OMP customer I'm accumulating packing materials, insulated mailers and gel packs. Do you take these back for reuse?
The resources required to support such a project would defeat its purpose.
Please utilize the free online forum Buy Nothing, there’s a local online chapter in your area. Buy Nothing is an outlet for things that you cannot typically donate to thrift stores but are not garbage. Many of our customers recycle the boxes, insulated packing materials and ice packages they receive with their OMP orders through Buy Nothing.
Thank you for reading and we’ll update this page as we continue to evolve our sustainability journey here at Olive My Pickle.
