No plastic is better than plastic recycling. Think before you purchase that plastic gift card.
I've been carrying around two plastic movie theater gift cards for over a year. Gifts from co-workers, they are much-appreciated because they represent gifts of experiences (movies) rather than more stuff. The fact that I still have them simply means I need to get out more. But the cards themselves, of course, are made from plastic. And what happens to that plastic at the end of its life? Unlike credit cards which must be destroyed for security reasons, some gift cards can keep on giving.
The Problem
Gift cards are made from PVC, one of the most toxic plastics from cradle to grave. Each year, according to Plenty Magazine, "a whopping 75 million pounds of polyvinyl chloride material from plastic cards enters America’s waste stream."
Reduce, Re-use
Several companies (Target, Borders, REI, Wal-Mart) offer biodegradable gift cards made from corn, while others provide reloadable cards, also decreasing the need for new plastic if consumers will take the time to save and reload them. Turns out that my two movie cards -- AMC Theatres and Cinemark -- are both reloadable. This is a relief because once they are used up, I'll keep them and add funds when I need a gift to give someone else.
Why buy a new card when these can spread joy and cinema magic indefinitely?
Beth Terry is a Premier Partner of SustainLane. She writes about finding alternatives to plastic and tracks her own plastic consumption and plastic waste at www.fakeplasticfish.com. Why Fake Plastic Fish? "Because if we don't solve our plastic problem, they could be the only kind of fish we have left." Please stop by and leave a comment!
Marlene S. says:
How do we get companies like Staples to stop sending out plastic coupon cards? I registered my complaint twice with them and they don't seem to care.
Beth Terry says:
Hi Marlene. You can ask to be removed from their mailing list. Sometimes it takes several months to be removed because their mailings are created way ahead of time. Who have you spoken to?
Marlene S. says:
The company that sends me plastic coupons all the time is STAPLES office supplies. I spoke with someone in the office of the president. The first time I called and complained, they sent me a bunch of coupons on paper just to let me know they got my request. The second time I complained, I got someone who could have cared less. She said that this was their policy and by one person calling to complain, the policy wouldn't change.
Then I read in a Readers' Digest article that these can be sent somewhere for recycling, but I can't find the article again.
Beth Terry says:
If you click the link to read the full article, you'll find info about recycling them. But I'm more concerned about the fact that they won't remove you from their mailing list. Can you be asked to be taken off of all their mailings, not just the gift cards?
Marlene S. says:
The problem with Staples is that we have an account with them. I don't know if they are willing to take me off a mailing list because it may remove us from the account.