Read a little tidbit this morning about boxed wine being more environmentally friendly than glass bottled wine.
We had a few thoughts. First: We'll admit that we don't mind Target's boxed wine, when we just want a simple glass to go with a spaghetti dinner.
But really? It's more eco-friendly than a bottle of wine?
These are the questionable reasons:
1) It keeps longer. We'll vouch for this one. We often throw away half-drunk bottles of vino, but usually finish a box of Target wine because it will keep for weeks. (However, there does seem to be way more packaging -- the plastic pouch, the plastic spout ...)
2) The shipping. From the article: "A standard wine bottle (holding 750 milliliters) that travels from a California vineyard to a New York store generates about 5.2 pounds of carbon-dioxide emissions, while a three-liter box generates only half the emissions per 750 milliliters."
We'll still buy boxed wine from time to time. However, we think the tastier and far greener way to consume wine is to buy something local, invite some friends over (to be sure nothing goes to waste), and then recycle the bottle.
What about you? Do you have a favorite boxed wine?
Via Keetsa
image via Target.com
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You know, I was just at the market where I saw a box of organic wine from Australia. I was wondering about the same thing myself. Here's my conundrum: even if I were to purchase a boxed wine from a local source the packaging isn't recyclable, is it? It's the same with milk and juice cartons, right? Because it's that plastic-y or wax-coated cardboard, so it can't be recycled, whereas the glass bottles and corks can. So I think I will stick to purchasing wine whose containers won't fill up landfills since I can recycle them.
view jamjaree's profile
A locally boxed wine obviously is the answer to the critique in the article.
As for jamjaree's comments: you can either be green or just feel green. If the total environmental impact is lower using cardboard and paper versus glass, then that is the way to go. Recycling is not a panacea and carries its own costs.
view akatsuki's profile
I'm no connoisseur (of wine in a bottle or box), but I would assume there's less packaging per 750ml unit of wine in a box, since a box typically holds more than one bottle of wine.
view mandarinmarie's profile
We buy the Bota Box (Shiraz is the favorite around here), and they tout their packaging as completely recyclable. So, when we're done with the box, we break down the cardboard. http://www.botabox.com/Green/
We still occasionally buy bottled wine, especially if it's local, but just like the NY Times piece said...boxed wine is just getting better and better.
view amber77's profile
This is definitely one of those areas where the greenest answer might not be the obvious one. We have to be careful, IF we really care about being eco-friendly and not just "feeling" eco-friendly, to not just go on emotions.
Local is the greenest choice. Hands down. I don't care how it's packaged. Recycling doesn't reduce impact of production back to zero; it doesn't "unmake" something.
view theambershow's profile
"It's the same with milk and juice cartons, right? Because it's that plastic-y or wax-coated cardboard, so it can't be recycled"
can be recycled - in Australia we get them collected as part of our curb-side recycling collection.
view Rebekkap's profile