Not just the frustration factor, but the recycling factor is key too - especially in areas (such as mine) where trash is heavily limited (3 sacks for 2 weeks max) but recycling paper/cardboard is easy.
I think Amazon might have taken some influence from Sennheiser who have been trying out the whole "eco" packaging thing lately: http://is.gd/6dHl : It's worked out well - I believe the eco packaged headphones outsold the regular packaged ones on Amazon.co.uk for quite a while, so it might have helped them go with the idea.
United Kingdom. Our council is quite progressive on the recycling front. Despite the inconvenience at first, I'm in support of it. I think we recycle about 60% of our household waste now. Large families and those with babies get special allowance to have more trash, so it's reasonably fair.
The only downside, and one many are complaining about, is that they alternative trash pickup with recycling pickup, so you have to leave some trash sitting around for 2 weeks.. not pleasant to drag through the house on pickup day.
The more stuff one composts or puts in a food bin (provided by the council in some places, such as Richmond), the less smelly stuff one has to endure in the bin proper.
I think Amazon might have taken some influence from Sennheiser who have been trying out the whole "eco" packaging thing lately: http://is.gd/6dHl : It's worked out well - I believe the eco packaged headphones outsold the regular packaged ones on Amazon.co.uk for quite a while, so it might have helped them go with the idea.