Doing away with cardboard at HP

I've always been open about the fact that I work for IBM, so this post will probably surprise you when I praise one of our biggest competitors HP.  I caught a video this weekend on HP's new strategy in shipping its laptops.  Instead of packing them in cardboard boxes, which then sit on the shelves of retailers they have begun to ship them in 100% recyclable laptop cases (see photo).  The cases offer the protection of a box, yet provides more functionality to the consumer.  While the nervous HP spokesperson doesn't go into the supply chain, I'm curious on any difference in the number of laptops that can fit on a pallet.  I'm also curious on the carbon footprint of making the laptop case and if its as environmentally friendly as producing the boxes. Because at the end of the day the environmental impact starts and ends with the product coming out and back into the Earth. Check out the video here.