Used to be, that all plastics were derived from petroleum oil…you know, that stuff that’s going for almost $120 a barrel these days. The manufacturing processes often release toxic fumes into the atmosphere, and the plastics themselves take up to 400 years to break down in landfills.
That means a water bottle you use today and throw away will not fully decompose into the earth until the year 2,408! (And just for reference, two million plastic bottles are used in the U.S. every five minutes…here’s what that looks like.) It’s not just plastic bottles, either. Grocery bags, sandwich wrappers, toys, and plastic packaging on other consumer items such as DVD’s are all piling up into landfills at an alarming rate.
So how do you reduce the environmental impact of your marketing without sacrificing promotional products…many of which are made from plastic? The answer may lie in bioplastics.

Thanks to the innovations of modern technology (and the countless researchers dedicated to alternate production methods), manufacturers can now create plastic products from vegetable derivatives: corn, potatoes, sugar beets and wheat, to be specific. Bioplastics have been catching on in Europe, and more recently in the U. S. as public demands for alternatives to petroleum based products are gaining ground.
When it comes to promotional products, corn plastic and bioplastic choices are plentiful. Countless products such as pens, mugs, luggage tags, keychains and desk accessories are now being made with these alternative polymers.
Not only does this cut back on fossil fuels used in production, which means less pollution is emitted into the environment, but some bioplastics can also biodegrade in landfills in under three months. Yes, three months!
Bioplastic products are just as durable as any other “traditional” plastic product you can find, so quality is not an issue. Switching from traditional plastics to modern bioplastics is any easy decision and can help leave a lasting impact on our world.