New from The ULS (Use Less Stuff) Report [7] is its CalcuLess™ Environmental Impact Analyzer, [8] a free, Web-accessible tool that generates a simplified analysis of the greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and solid waste created by a package. According to Bob Lilienfeld, editor of The ULS Report, the need for this type of information is enormous, since concerns over sustainability are becoming more prevalent throughout the distribution chain, from consumers and retailers up to packaging converters, designers, manufacturers, and brand owners.

To use CalcuLess, site visitors enter readily available information about a specific package, such as how much product it holds, the materials from which its components are produced, and the weight of those components. Recycling is also considered, using the latest available data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. [9]

CalcuLess allows users to generate comparison data for two different packaging alternatives. For example, the tool could compare results for a 32-oz glass bottle versus a 12-oz multilayer pouch, or for a yogurt container produced from paperboard versus one produced from high-density polyethylene. The company says that data comes from public sources, including the EPA, the Environmental Defense Fund, [10] and the U.S. Department of Energy. [11]

Says Lilienfeld, “Many companies are looking for cost-effective ways to provide the environmental impact information being requested by brand owners and retailers. We developed this tool to help them get a quick read on their sustainability options.”

In April, ULS launched a logo program [12] to certify those packaged products that use 20% less materials.