Bic Ecolutions Wite-Out

Despite my best efforts to remain positive and offer killer high Leaf Rating reviews, there are times when a product simply bums me out, sadly Bic’s ecolutions Wite-Out was one of those products. I want to be very clear here -- the concept is good and I certainly applaud their efforts to attempt to do anything that is better for the planet -- but I do not believe this is the best way to go about marketing it.

As I had indicated the other day I was specifically shopping for a correction tape Wite-Out while grocery shopping. Because I am savvy with my cash I comparison shop even if the first package I pick up is green and has the word ‘eco’ on it. Part of this environment is my own so if I can spend a little less on these type of items then I will certainly do so.

There were two types of correction tape available, this ecolutions version by Bic and a generic Staples offering. The prices were within a couple pennies of each other and this one had a little bit more length so since it was also touted to be Green I tossed a couple in the cart and came home to dive into the research.

Some of the positives of this product include the fact that the cardboard packaging is made from 100% recycled fiber and that 51% of the plastic in the product is recycled. Sounds great right?

Sadly the plastic is pre-consumer which is to say that it existed somewhere in the factory already, likely as a cutoff from another product’s creation, and it was tossed back into the melting pot to be turned into this Wite-Out or other ecolutions products. As a Greenie I have a hard time calling this process recycling but rather lifecycling; as the scrap has never gotten into the hands of a consumer and come back around, these leftovers are simply able to bring life to a different product.

This product was definitely smaller than the Staples version which is nice that they designed to save on materials, but then Bic went and mucked that up by creating a separate protective cap. An extraneous piece not at all required for such an item.

Now I am not saying the product does not work, on the contrary the correction tape part of this item is possibly the best I have ever used, I am simply disappointed with the way these items are being marketed (there are about ten products in the line so far). Because of all of these factors I am saddened to grant only a Two Leaf Rating to the Bic ecolutions Wite-Out.

You are thinking in the right direction Bic but I highly encourage you to take a cue from your bioplastic shaver and start using that corn based material for these plastic office supplies then watch your Leaf Rating soar!
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