Is Amazon Green?

A recent study suggests that online shopping leads to increased carbon emissions. The average online shopper might think that avoiding a drive to the store would be more environmentally friendly, but he overlooks something: shipping burns fuel too. According to the article, a consumer must order at least 25 items at once before the carbon footprint is smaller than that of traditional shopping. I have never ordered more than 10 items at once. Since amazon.com began offering free 2-day shipping to students I rarely order more than one item at a time. This reminds me of an older article, reporting that carbon emissions from a Google search are equivalent to boiling a kettle of water. If we aren’t the ones behind the wheel of the truck, or paying the electric bill, we tend to overlook of the environmental impact of these day-to-day activities. Next time you order a book online, order with a friend. Check your query for typos before you press the search button. Bookmark your class websites rather than Googling them daily. It’s scary how wasteful we can be, but amazing how much improvement just a little change can bring.