Kickstart: Going green on dates

California legislators were busy the past few days trying to get bills approved before the legislative calendar ended Aug. 31. One bill, which would require 50 percent recycled content for plastic bottles, passed easily and is on its way to the governor's desk.

The other, which would have focused on all single-use plastics, failed to garner enough support in the Assembly.

But changes in packaging are not just big issues for government leaders. Changes are going on at a number of points in the consumer supply chain. Yuma, Ariz.-based Datepac LLC has just launched a 100 percent post-consumer plastic package for its Natural Delights Medjool dates in a green-tinted PET, supplied by CarbonLite subsidiary PinnPack.

The packaging comes from green PET bottles such as those used for 7-Up, Sprite and Perrier.

"Green-colored recycled plastics have been hard to find a home for because they are unconventional. People are used to seeing clear plastic packaging," David Baxter, Natural Delights' brand manager, said in a news release.

If consumers start seeing more green packaging for food — especially if they connect the color with sustainable products — then there will be a greater market for green PET, said Ira Maroofian, CarbonLite president.

"Ultimately, higher demand for higher recycled content will translate into better and more recycling, which will mean less plastic pollution," he said.

Several years ago, an auto supplier I was speaking to referred to the rear view mirror as "a very valuable piece of real estate."

He was referring to what was, with a few exceptions at the time, a very basic plastic housing, but companies — especially Gentex in Zeeland, Mich. — were in the process of changing that, adding electronics that would convert the mirror and housing into a digital information system.

Now it's going further, as Richard Truett from Automotive News writes. Gentex has added a built-in digital video recorder to the mirror housing, one that can record images from rear-facing cameras. If there's a crash, the system would automatically store the 20 seconds before and after the collision. This might be good news if you want to prove someone rear-ended you. Or bad news if you backed into someone.

For now, it's available only on the Toyota Harrier, a RAV4-based crossover sold in Japan, Korea, China and other markets.

Add flowerpots and high-end gardening boxes to the pandemic sales boom.

Editor Don Loepp has the story of Novelty Manufacturing Co., a 98-year-old business that saw sales climb this spring as the coronavirus shut down plans for summer vacation travel.

The Lancaster, Pa.-based injection molder and blow molder has proprietary products, including the EarthBox, a large, wheeled container just the right size for container vegetable growing.

"We had wonderful containers for growing tomatoes, peppers, herbs. It was very successful. When people are home, what are you thinking about? Maybe this is the year you grow your own food. Maybe stores won't have fresh vegetables," President Joe DiMeo said.