This is somewhat of a response to a post in /r/fauxmoi:
https://old.reddit.com/r/Fauxmoi/comments/1jzazxp/emily_ratajkowski_on_this_mornings_10_minute_blue/
I know people are going to want to debate the other ethics of the company but I am specifically curious what the calculations would be like around whether Amazon has been a net positive or negative on the environment.
Edit: Just realized there’s also product packaging to consider as well. Items bought in stores have less packaging while product bought on Amazon have extra packaging / cushioning so that’s another variable.
Comments
they’ve pretty obviously increased CO2 emissions, yes? how could they possibly have lowered them?
I think a lot of it evens out for emissions. In decades past, people would wait until they needed a lot of things before making a trip to several stores. This also had the side effect that people would forget about wanting something or realize they don’t really need it before they made the trip. Now with Amazon, folks can buy the thing as soon as they think of it. I have neighbors that get deliveries every day. There’s constant stream of delivery vans in every city because it’s so easy to buy things.
But then there’s producing, shipping, packaging, etc. all of the stuff that wouldn’t have been bought otherwise, and then think about how much of it just ends up in landfills because no one really wanted it in the first place…
I don’t know if they’re worse than oil companies, but they’re definitely bad for the planet.
Everyone in this thread seems to be thinking of just the store/delivery aspects of Amazon.
Their data centers use more energy than many small towns to run their AWS web services and their AI development.
AWS is the part that has the big footprint.
Saw something that said it’s cheaper for them to dispose than recycle unused product.
People have been buying shit before Amazon and will continue to buy shit after (if there is an after). If I want coffee delivered, I will get coffee delivered, if not not by Amazon then it will be by Walmart or whoever is providing the service. Doesn’t matter if it’ll be $1 or 2 more. I want the convenience and choice options. I buy way more stuff on AliExpress than Amazon tbh.
Additionally, they slapped the words “Climate Pledge” on the rebuilt Seattle arena and then not long after ordered a bunch of people in the same area to return to office, putting more cars back on Seattle area roads.
Anything they are doing for “lowering emissions” is lip service.
Depends on where you live. I live in a dense city where that truck is coming down my block whether I ordered or not, often several times a day. Add that up and everyone shopping Amazon saves a lot of fuel, especially not chasing around to multiple stores many miles apart trying to find the exact thing you’re looking for!
Not to mention the time saved. I maintain apartments. Running across town to the Home Center and back would take me most of an hour. Often I can click exactly what I need in moments and have it the next day.
As for packaging, very often Amazon’s packaging is less than a B&M store because it doesn’t need to be theft proof.
Hard to say. I order things and they come on a truck making many deliveries, instead of me driving to many stores to hunt for it. A truck delivery 100 packages keeps 100 cars off the roads, using less gas and reducing traffic congestion ( helping other drivers save gas too). Good
Probably creates impulse buys. Bad
Lots of returns going into waste stream. Bad
Reduces buying local. Bad
Bezos supports Trump who is uber bad for the environment and turned the Washington Post into a right wing propaganda source. VERY BAD
People love to hate on Amazon, but 1) another company would’ve pioneered online shopping and any environmental impacts if Amazon hadn’t, and 2) Amazon does actively work on sustainability initiatives. The Climate Pledge is more than a slogan, but an actual effort to get companies to commit (since addressing climate change through the private sector is a bit of a prisoner’s dilemma). They’re still a corporation of course, but they are fairly transparent about their sustainability work: https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com/2023-sustainability-report.pdf
I needed a drill bit last month. Drove a total of about 30km to several different places looking for it. In the end gave up and ordered on Amazon and it arrived 2 days after I ordered,
Also the Kindle saves me a few trips to buy books over the year.
I also needed a new knob for my cooker when the original broke. Couldn’t find one at any place I drove to. Plus nobody knows what you are talking about even if they do pick up the phone. So Amazon to the rescue again.
I have stopped using Amazon though since the whole US trade war/market manipulation started and only buy European now.
I personally wonder if is just replacing one with the other meaning say Amazon is responsible for 1,000 business going under and their foot print going to 0 isn’t it just being replaced with Amazon foot print?