How online shopping affects the environment by Gallego Losada Pilar

pilargallego3 — 2024-09-27 03:24:56 UTC

The rise of online shopping: Online shopping became extremely popular. Today, one in every seven sales is made online, and global online retail is estimated to reach US$4.8 trillion in 2021.

pilargallego3 — 2024-09-27 03:26:17 UTC

Myth about the environment: Most people believe that online shopping minimally impacts the environment compared to conventional shopping. This is because online stores use less energy than brick-and-mortar shops, and fewer car trips are taken to conventional stores. Well, reality is not quite so simple.

pilargallego3 — 2024-09-27 03:26:49 UTC

Delivery inefficiencies: The carbon footprint is higher due to inefficient deliveries, expedited shipping, and single-item orders. Multiply delivery attempts with individual orders further increase the carbon di-oxide emissions.

pilargallego3 — 2024-09-27 03:27:47 UTC

High return rates: Almost one-quarter of all online purchases are returned. Fashion consumers in most cases order several sizes or colors. When returns need special logistics, the carbon footprint and environmental wastes rise.

pilargallego3 — 2024-09-27 03:28:19 UTC

Landfill waste: Many returns, especially within the garment industry, are never resold because of associated sorting and cleaning costs. Quite a few good items, therefore, land in landfills or are incinerated, in return producing harmful CO2 emissions.

pilargallego3 — 2024-09-27 03:28:56 UTC

Sustainable efforts and challenges: Some of them have now started investing in electric delivery vehicles with a view to reducing their carbon footprint. In spite of that, handling returns efficiently and trying to reduce the environmental impact of their operations remains a big challenge for them.