Biodegradable packing peanuts?

[kabboord]

I generally think MD is great. I spend about 3k a year with them because of great quality stuff, great service, and prompt shipping. I just got my quarterly order of consumable dry goods (test kits, carbon, etc.) and the first thing I noticed is the box appeared to be router through the Baghdad Fed-ex hub. The thing was crushed, wet, and just looked pitiful. Everything inside was OK so that wasn't a problem.

The problem? What I assume are new biodegradable packing peanuts. When these things get wet they disolve. Look, I want to save the earth and all the c**p. But when I spend $500 of goods at in internet vendor I don't expect them to come in a nasty sticky packing peanut mess. Because it had gotten wet they were half disolved and all stuck to the products I ordered. It looks pitiful and disgusting. Go back to the old packing peanuts, its not worth making a bad buying experience for the purchaser.

 

[lakerfan]

Hi,

Thanks for the feedback. We have been using the biodegradable peanuts for quite a while now, but we are planning to make a change to a different peanut shape and size soon. The new peanut we have is still environmentally friendly, being completely recycled, but it is stronger and doesn't shift as much as the biodegradable stuff. We're still in test phase, but it looks promising.

Ben R.
www.marinedepot.com

 

[kabboord]

You need to give the consumer the ability to request the old-style, stay in the landfill for 5k year packing peanuts. I was really bummed about my last order, I was planning on buying a 700$ chiller, but I'm going to shop around now.

 

[rrome]

I think you are being unnecessarily harsh. First of all, you're acting like it was MD's fault that your box arrived looking ugly, which it was not.

If you say 'Everything inside was OK so that wasn't a problem.", then what is the problem??? Peanuts were stuck to the items> Unless it's an acrylic box that will not come clean, it is but an inconvenience.

Using an enviromentally friendly packing alternative, is worth the ocassional inconveninece, in my opinion.

Do you think of the logistics of keeping two kind of peanuts for a mail order company? It's just an unreasonable request.

 

[UFreefer]

I agree, its good to see that companies are starting to use more environmental friendly packaging materials. Marine Depot has mandatory shipping insurance so if there is a risk then they are the one's taking it.

 

[skriz]

I didn't know you used biodegradable peanuts. Now that I know, I think I admire your company even more.

 

[CamBarr]

Skriz I think they are edible too if we spray painted the orange we could re sell them as cheese puffs lol

Sorry that was O/T but if you had a problem with your shipment you should have taken it up with the carrier. And besides the fact who wants to be living in piles of non biodegradable packing foam in 10 years anyway.
My 2 cents

 

[Newreeflady]

"Using an enviromentally friendly packing alternative is worth the ocassional inconveninece, in my opinion."

Bingo! Agreed 100%. Oh, man, one package gets wet out of how many? Sorry dude, lets go back to the kill the earth peanuts just because someone had a bad day. Crap happens, if it ruined any of your stuff i'm sure they would be happy to take it back.

Thanks, MD, for using biodegradable peanuts. I took it for granted, but really we should all appreciate this gesture to be environmentally friendly.

-A

 

[GLD]

It is way past time for us to all suffer a little more inconvenience today to avoid huge inconveniences in the years to come.

Grocery stores should be required to charge 25 cents per ba g to encourage shoppers to bring cloth bags from home. Why does it make sense to get new bags every time you go to the store? 90 billion bags per year are generated today just because it is too inconvenient for people to bring a box or bag from home.

Kudos to marine depot for trying to take a very small step to lessen the impact of their business and our hobby.

I think it is critical for us to work to minimize the impact of our hobby. Pay extra for the more efficient pumps and skimmers even if the electrical savings will not "pay out" the extra cost of the more efficient device. Try to minimize the energy footprint of your tank.

If we choose to participate in this hobby, we are choosing to assume responsibility for the livestock that we place in our tanks. At the same time, this responsibility extends beyond our tank(s) to the globe that provides and sustains the reefs. Pay up today so that there will be a tomorrow.

 

[goda]

how are recycled peanuts . enviormentaly friendly??? they will just end up at landfill unless the customers recycle them
stay with the disolving peanuts. there simply better only reason i use you instead of custom aquatics ( switched to you guys once i saw the biodigradiable stuff)