This fall, UF's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences will launch an undergraduate degree program in packaging science, one of nine nationwide, Welt said. These aren't theoretical problems, they're real-world business considerations. And employers need packaging science majors, Berger said. Supply may not equal demand until 2010. It teaches you to look at the big picture.
Many people assume paper bags are a better environmental choice, because trees are renewable.
But paper is heavier, so we need more trucks burning more fuel and producing more exhaust to transport the same number of bags. Sometimes there is no obvious best choice. Welt said life cycle assessment helps package designers focus on delivering the essential functions a client needs, with a minimum of waste. For instance, Welt said, corporations such as the McDonald's restaurant chain save millions of dollars each year by eliminating unnecessary material from boxes, bags and other containers. They stopped using foam boxes for sandwiches and substituted polymer-coated paper wrappers.