SunChips made headlines earlier this year when they came out with the first 100% biodegradable chip bag. One of SunChips’ main company missions is to lower their negative environmental impact, and the biodegradable bag is a huge step in the right direction. Their bags are designed to break down in about 14 weeks. Most bags won’t break down that quickly because it is unlikely that most bags will end up in a hot compost bin which is the ideal setting for decomposition, but even so, SunChips bags will eventually biodegrade in regular dirt as well. SunChips is using the bag as a chance to spark interest in composting, hoping that the public will want to start their own compost piles after being educated on the subject. Education has been part of their media campaign about the bag which is encouraging, especially coming from a company as large as Frito-Lay.
Frito-Lay’s SunChips brand started the compostable bag project a few years ago, and it took some serious trial and error to find the perfect bag. The first prototypes of the bags only broke down in an industrial composting facility, to which few Americans really have access. Since even the final product still biodegrades best in a composting facility, awareness has become a large part of their marketing mission. Their website even has a “Composting 101″ section that includes a great how-to guide on getting started.
Their mission to lower their environmental impact doesn’t stop at composting, Sunchips also uses solar energy in Modesto, CA to power the creation of 145,000 bags of Sunchips every single day! On Earth Day this year, Sunchips donated a dollar towards Environmental Education for every person that “Liked” them on facebook. While in the scheme of things these are still small steps towards sustainability, SunChips’ multi-faceted approach is commendable. Educating the public, using renewable energy, promoting renewable materials, and using social media to create awareness and raise money are important and difficult tasks that Frito-Lay is taking seriously and is making major progress!
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