A simple guide to making online consumerism green to conserve the environment.
Online shopping is on an astronomical rise, and with the Covid-19 and subsequent lockdown that mandated people to stay indoors, a significant population turned to online shopping to satisfy their needs. Food, clothing, beauty and grooming, services, and even healthcare are now available online.
In 2021, 180 million-190 million Indians shopped online; this figure is expected to rise to 400 million-450 million by 2027.
This calls to create awareness amongst online consumers on how to be green whilst shopping. Consumers need to be careful and adopt various sustainable methods to ensure that their online shopping does not contribute to climate change.
We have curated a list of 5 crucial eco-friendly tips for online shoppers out there. Read on.
SHOP AT ECO-FRIENDLY ONLINE STORES
Make sure that the stores that you’re buying from are conscious brands. It only takes a few minutes to research to find green brands that take responsibility for their carbon and plastic footprints.
There are a lot of brands that have gone Plastic Neutral with The Disposal Company and attained the Seal of Sustainability. Here’s a list of some sustainable brands:
SHIP ORDERS IN BULK
Consumers must be conscious of the environmental impact of their purchases. Bulk purchases are critical for increasing efficiency because environmental costs rise with each trip.
SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING OPTIONS
Consumers can go for sustainable packaging and product options whilst online shopping. There are integrated APIs for various online stores that allow customers to choose plastic-free packaging, reduce waste, etc.
Various brands have Plastic Positive APIs in collaboration with The Disposal Company, this helps to ensure that your purchase is sustainable.
Amazon’s Frustration-Free Packaging can change shipping methods. They reduce waste and ship products in 100% recyclable packaging.
ONLY SHOP FOR NECESSARY ITEMS
Impulse shopping is a threat to eco-friendly shopping. It is very easy to buy products that you don’t need, which means they may end up in a landfill sooner than you expect.
Before ordering any product ask yourself if you really need it. Always think about the earth before deciding to buy online that way, you can reduce impulse shopping.
REDUCE RETURNS
Major brands have created a near-perfect system for accepting returns, usually at no cost to the customer. While convenience is appealing, returns can substantially increase a product’s negative environmental impacts.
Returns account for nearly 30% of all e-commerce sales. Following that, products are frequently discounted or discarded. In the garment industry, 84% of all returns are discarded or burned.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The concept of eco-friendly shopping doesn’t mean that you must stop shopping altogether. It’s possible to save money and protect the environment at the same time! Just take a little more careful about what you purchase, especially in terms of how it was made and how it impacts the environment. When we shop eco-friendly, we support ethical and sustainable consumption and companies that support that goal.
The Disposal Company is India’s first climate action platform that helps brands go plastic-neutral. Click here to learn more.
