A cardboard divider inside the box separated the box into two sections and kept the cartridge in place in one section so it didn’t shift or rattle when the box was moved. The other section of the box, which was big enough to contain another cartridge, was empty.

The cartridge was bigger than the standard size cartridge, but it appeared to be just a bit longer, not wider. It was encased in a cellophane wrapper, and packaged with it inside the cellophane was a tiny envelope folded so it could be read like a brochure. The outside of it was green with white headline type and text. It read, “Free Recycling! Return your empty HP cartridge for recycling now.”

When I unfolded the brochure/envelope, there was more text telling me to recycle the cartridge “into raw materials for use in new products. It’s free. It’s easy.” When the envelope was opened all the way so you could insert the cartridge, there was additional text that read, “Thank you for being environmentally responsible.”

Now, I’m happy that HP encourages people to recycle cartridges and makes it so easy to do so. Heck, even the extra large cartridges for the newer printers run out of ink so fast that they’d give an environmentalist nightmares about new mountain ranges being formed – mountain ranges made up entirely of discarded ink-jet printer cartridges.

But what puzzles me somewhat is why HP, while encouraging its customers to be environmentally responsible, ships products in boxes twice the size of what is actually needed, which wastes one of our natural resources. (Considering that the cartridges get shipped to stores and warehouses, the oversized packaging is probably wasting gasoline, too. You could pack two truckloads of cartridges into a single truck if the packaging was half the size. )

So, HP, if you’re reading this, a suggestion: Instead of trying to make ink cartridges look bigger by putting them in bigger boxes than necessary, be more environmentally friendly yourself. Redesign your packaging to fit the actual size of your products.

Hmmm... and while you’re at it, consider putting more ink in those extra large cartridges so consumers can print more before they have to replace the cartridge. I know I’d be willing to pay more for a printer if I didn’t have to replace the cartridges so often. I bet other small business owners would, too.