Shopping Online Is Eco-Friendly
Posted by Sonja Ebron
The number of shoppers buying online grows every year. Consumers cite the convenience of staying home and a lesser need to see products before buying. Now there’s evidence that shopping from home actually helps the environment. According to a study by the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, shopping online prevents the emission of a key greenhouse gas.
An estimated 30 percent of holiday gifts will be purchased online this year, saving half a million metric tons of carbon dioxide from getting into the atmosphere. Some of these savings are offset by commercial delivery trucks, but they make several deliveries per truckload, compared to one delivery per brick-n-mortar shopper. Savings are also reduced by the online shoppers’ computer usage, which is typically powered by burning fossil fuels. Still, the environmental costs of shopping are much lower for those buying online. This year, consider shopping from home to find gifts for your favorite people.
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2 Responses to “Shopping Online Is Eco-Friendly”
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December 16th, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Thank you for that insight. I was just wondering about this issue yesterday. Your point about trucks carrying multiple packages sold me! I can now happily resume my online shopping.
Thanks placing me on your blogroll as well. I appreciate it.
Happy Holidays!
December 17th, 2008 at 11:33 am
Glad you found the info helpful. Like you, I wanted some validation for my online shopping and was happy to find the study. Keep up the good work at Black and Into Green, and come back to visit soon!