How Can You Make Online Shopping Greener and More Sustainable!

The popularity of online shopping has been on the rise, which brings us to the question, is online shopping harmful for the environment? Consumers also understand the need to go green while shopping online. They are looking for options that are easy to order, and they can deliver quickly too. This is why most online portals are trying to lure consumers with speed, convenience, and flexibility. But should consumers bite the bait?

A recent MIT-conducted study showed that online shopping is supposed to be more eco-friendly than in-person shopping. The study focuses on things such as environmental costs such as toys, electronics, and clothes. However, online shopping seems to be more efficient when the shopping arena is more than 2 miles away. Travel costs are one of the primary concerns to separate from green online shopping. It may take time for you to fix a proper shopping routine, but here are some tips to get it right.

Bulk Purchases Improves Efficiency

Bulk purchases are important to create more efficiency as environmental costs can start to increase with every trip. Consumers should take care of the environmental footprint they create with their purchases. When you buy in bulk, you can lower your travel costs. You can also get in touch with the company to explore ways to reduce single-use plastic and waste. There are options such as Amazon‘s frustration-free packaging that can significantly impact shipping methods. They make the whole packaging greener as they use 100% recyclable packaging. You can even request them to reduce plastic use. They will do the needful and make your packaging more environmental-friendly.

Avoid Express Shipping

Express shipping methods may create a heavier environmental toll than standard shipping. They tend to be more attractive to the average consumer because of their lowered marginal costs. However, the same-day or express delivery incorporates air travel, thus ensuring more carbon emissions. So, in this case, the best option will be to choose slower shipping methods, the fastest way to go green.

When you make a purchase, consider a few options. If the purchase is essential, how quickly do you need the product? Can you wait for the product to arrive? Do you need to purchase it with some of the other products together? Find an answer to these questions to ensure more efficient consumption.

Aggregate Purchases

Consolidating orders can help reduce waste and also your carbon footprint. It can help reduce waste, but it also may limit repeated pleasure purchases. You can also create a wish list to avoid making multiple orders. You can add the items you require and look back over the list to ensure that all the products on the list are a requirement. If you make good use of the purchase features of an online portal, you can use it as a powerful tool to aid in green online shopping.

Choose Right and Minimize Returns

Major retailers have a great system to accept returns, and consumers do not have to pay extra for the same. While it may be convenient and attractive, the returns can amplify your product’s environmental costs as at least 30% of all e-commerce sales are returned. Afterward, products get sold at a discount or thrown away. Especially in the garment industry, 84% of all returns end up in landfills or get incinerated. Buy only the things you need so you can minimize the returns. When you have a wishlist, you can reassess what you really need and only buy those stuff. It can give you a reality check and how we dispose of things we don’t need.

Look For More Eco-Friendly Retailers

Products are getting more and more ethically transparent. You can look for certifications such as organic and fair-trade to indicate that products need a higher degree of environmental transparency.

Some retailers provide Plastic Neutral certification to provide a certain degree of transparency about the products they sell. So, check out for companies by visiting their sites to determine how they reduce their plastic footprint.

You can curb your plastic consumption and reduce the impact it has on the planet. Take small steps to enable big changes, and make your shopping more environmentally conscious. While your action might not seem like a lot, remember that it’s the tiny drops that make the ocean.