What’s a Practical 90-Day Baseline for Carbon and Waste in Packaging Ops?

Many businesses want to improve packaging sustainability but don’t know where to start. A simple 90-day baseline offers a practical first step. By measuring packaging carbon impact and waste within a defined timeframe, companies gain data they can act on — without overcomplicating the process.

Why Start with a 90-Day Baseline?

• Quick wins: Three months provides enough data to see trends without dragging the process out.
  
• Clear accountability: A fixed period helps teams stay focused.
  
• Actionable insights: Results highlight the easiest packaging changes with the biggest impact.

What Should You Measure During the 90 Days?

1. Material Mix
   
   • Track how much fiber, plastic, compostable, or recycled material you use.
     
   • Shows which inputs carry the most carbon weight.
     
2. Packaging Waste
   
   • Measure offcuts, returns, or damaged packaging that never reaches customers.
     
   • Quantifies inefficiency in current operations.
     
3. Carbon Estimates
   
   • Use supplier data or standard emission factors per material type.
     
   • Provides a rough footprint for your packaging stream.
     
4. Operational Costs Linked to Waste
   
   • Include disposal fees or re-shipping costs from damaged packaging.
     
   • Connects sustainability to bottom-line savings.

How Do You Turn the Data Into Action?

• Identify hotspots: Example — if plastic lids account for 40% of emissions, look at fiber alternatives.
  
• Set reduction targets: Start small, like cutting material waste by 10% in the next quarter.
  
• Engage suppliers: Share data and ask for alternative options or lighter-weight materials.
  
• Build reporting habits: Repeat the baseline every 90 days to track progress over time.

Final Thoughts

A 90-day baseline doesn’t require a full sustainability department. It’s a structured, practical way to measure carbon and waste in packaging ops — and start reducing them step by step.

At Direct Source Procurement (DSP), we help brands set realistic baselines and implement packaging changes that cut carbon, reduce waste, and meet customer expectations. Contact DSP today to start building your first baseline.

FAQs

1. Why should packaging teams start with a 90-day baseline?
It’s short enough to stay manageable yet long enough to reveal trends and actionable insights for improvement.

2. What key metrics should be tracked in the 90 days?
Material mix, packaging waste, carbon estimates, and costs linked to inefficiency or product damage.

3. How does a baseline help reduce packaging carbon and waste?
By identifying high-impact materials and waste sources, making it easier to target and reduce them.

4. Do I need complex tools or a sustainability team to start?
No. Basic supplier data, simple tracking, and regular reporting are enough to establish a useful baseline.

5. How often should businesses repeat the baseline?
Every 90 days to measure progress, refine targets, and maintain accountability.