Comments on: Packaging and how it’s slowly killing all of us http://greengrog.com/packaging-and-how-its-slowly-killing-all-of-us/ sustainable, organic and other cleaner-conscience beer news Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:55:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Beer Activist http://greengrog.com/packaging-and-how-its-slowly-killing-all-of-us/#comment-40 Beer Activist Sat, 02 Feb 2008 19:28:03 +0000 http://greengrog.com/packaging-and-how-its-slowly-killing-all-of-us/#comment-40 Great question guys. The energy equivalent info is great but it only deals with the manufacturing side and forgets about the delivery and disposal. I examined this same question in my book (Fermenting Revolution, 2006) and what I found was that aluminum cans actually come out way ahead. The weight and less ideal shape of the glass bottles means it takes a lot more petroleum to ship them to drinkers and then to waste facilities after they've been used. The other advantage to aluminum is the ease and efficiency of their recycling - it is dramatically more efficient to recycle a can than a glass bottle. However, I absolutely agree that kegs are an even better way to go. Growlers are another great choice. But even better is brewing your own beer at home. Water is the main ingredient in beer, so whether you're buying cans or bottles, the main thing you're really doing is shipping water around. Since homebrewing relies on the public water system for delivery it is far more efficient and then of course you can keg or bottle it in containers that are reusable over and over again. Cheers, Chris O'Brien, a.k.a. the Beer Activist Great question guys. The energy equivalent info is great but it only deals with the manufacturing side and forgets about the delivery and disposal. I examined this same question in my book (Fermenting Revolution, 2006) and what I found was that aluminum cans actually come out way ahead. The weight and less ideal shape of the glass bottles means it takes a lot more petroleum to ship them to drinkers and then to waste facilities after they’ve been used. The other advantage to aluminum is the ease and efficiency of their recycling - it is dramatically more efficient to recycle a can than a glass bottle.

However, I absolutely agree that kegs are an even better way to go. Growlers are another great choice. But even better is brewing your own beer at home. Water is the main ingredient in beer, so whether you’re buying cans or bottles, the main thing you’re really doing is shipping water around. Since homebrewing relies on the public water system for delivery it is far more efficient and then of course you can keg or bottle it in containers that are reusable over and over again.

Cheers,
Chris O’Brien, a.k.a. the Beer Activist

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