People are becoming more conscious of the waste that litters the planet and some have tried to adopt greener habits. Companies have played their part as well and have been finding more ways to make their products or packaging more eco-friendly. Headphone maker Skullcandy Inc. recently unveiled a series of new green initiatives as part of a promise to help keep one million pounds of e-waste from ending up in landfills globally by 2025. Among its tactics to achieve this goal is a pledge to utilize only 100% recyclable packaging materials and FSC-certified paper products by the end of this year.
Another tactic is the company’s existing upcycling program, which started in July 2019 and takes all returned or damaged Skullcandy products and refurbishes them to eliminate waste. This not only increases product lifespan, but also reduces the excavation and circulation of new raw materials. Products unfit to be upcycled are properly broken down and recycled. (To boot, a portion of proceeds goes towards Protect Our Winters, a nonprofit dedicated to turning passionate outdoor people into effective climate advocates.) Already over the past two years, 458,480 pounds (about 439,216 products) of e-waste has been saved from ending up in landfills thanks to the company’s upcycling efforts.
Skullcandy’s eco-efforts don’t stop there. Partnering with EcoChain, an environmental intelligence platform has helped Skullcandy analyze the carbon footprint of every product it manufactures. As a result, the brand recently launched the Dime True Wireless Earbuds, which boasts half the carbon footprint of most other true wireless products, primarily due to the reduced battery size. Smaller packaging has been implemented for the company’s future products to reduce material usage and transportation impact. These efforts led to Skullcandy earning a 2021 BIG Sustainability Award, which recognizes brands that have made sustainability an integral part of their business practices.
In the press release, Jessica Klodnicki, chief marketing officer at Skullcandy, said: “Skullcandy is proud to be taking actionable steps towards reducing our carbon footprint, not only by keeping returned products out of landfills and shifting to 100% recyclable packaging but through our manufacturing process while also supporting climate advocacy and empowering our consumers to do their part.”
Consumers can do their part as well; any old pair of headphones or earphones can be mailed back to Skullcandy for proper recycling. They can also recycle products themselves via a local recycling center or Best Buy, or, if the headphones are still functional, donate them to The Salvation Army or Goodwill. If they take a selfie as proof of the good deed, Skullcandy will provide a 30% off coupon, which is good for an entire order on Skullcandy.com. The hope is that this will be an extra incentive for consumers to recycle their old products instead of throwing them into the trash. Regardless of incentive, it’s everyone’s responsibility to take care of our planet because it is our home. With both companies and consumers creating more eco-friendly habits, e-waste can be reduced and help prevent further damage to the ecosystem.
