BUBBLE WRAP!

I just tried to throw away some "bubble wrap" we had received in a Christmas present. I was told by my wife Evie to "Leave the bubble wrap alone" and she proceeded to grab it. As I write this, she is across the room popping the individual bubbles from the wrap. I am wondering if I should think about grabbing the wrap and throw it away or stick my tongue out at Evie.

What is is about bubble wrap? And who created it? As a true academic researcher, I did a little research on Bubble Wrap and this is what I found:

The story begins in 1957 in a garage in Hawthorne, NJ with two engineers, Marc Chavannes and Al Fielding. Marc and Al were trying to make a plastic wallpaper with a paper backing. Surprisingly, this product didn't take off. They realized, however, that their invention could be used as a cushioning packaging material. At that time, only abrasive paper products were used for packaging, and they did not suffice for cushioning heavy or delicate items. Marc and Al raised $9,000 to fund a developmental production line. They incorporated Sealed Air Corporation in 1960, and today, Sealed Air is a leading worldwide manufacturer of numerous protective and specialty packaging materials with annual revenues exceeding 3 billion dollars. (source: Bubble Wrap Appreciation.com)

What I also learned in my "extensive" research is that there is even a "Bubble Wrap Appreciation" Day which is on January 28th! OK, now we have definitely gone too far. While Bubble Wrap has made 2 engineers tons of money and has protected valuable items for storage or mailing, it has cause tremendous strife in individuals and families!

Over Christmas, our son-in-law Marc gave our daughter Carrie a present that had Bubble Wrap in the box that was in her stocking. When someone questioned why Carrie was popping the bubble wrap she responded with, "Hey, my husband gave me this bubble wrap in that gift so I have the right to pop the bubbles!" That caused her mother to lean over and started popping bubbles along with her daughter. At that point I commented, "OK, that is enough of popping the bubble wrap!" They all laughed.

What did people do before Bubble Wrap? Perhaps they sat around the radio and listened to some of the old time shows and wondered what it would be like if electricity hadn't been invented! I just know one thing, I could live without Bubble Wrap and also Packing Peanuts (but that is another blog posting in itself!)

Marko