As consumers, we use online sites all the time. Big companies like Amazon are easy and convenient to use, and as a result have grown to be an integral part of our lives. Founded by Jeff Bezos in 1994, Amazon started off as an online site for books, and eventually grew to the powerhouse we know it to be today. Everyone uses Amazon nowadays, but easy and simple as it may be, how good is it for the environment?
In 2005, Amazon started a program called Amazon Prime, which guarantees customers a faster shipping time. Of course, this is an attractive offer, so millions of customers have joined the membership program. However, faster shipping comes negative costs to the environment. The thing is, Amazon likes to praise its online delivery services as an environmentally friendly alternative to in-person shopping, which is true. In a 2013 study done by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, online shopping could create a smaller carbon footprint. Of course, there are factors such as location and speed. However, it doesn’t factor in the effects of guaranteed fast delivery. Amazon outsources to different providers, including a number of smaller companies with contracted drivers. They operate vehicles that are smaller than freight vehicles, which means that they carry less and have to make more trips to keep up with customer demand. As more quick trips become the demand, more fuel will be used to power even more vehicles on the road, vehicles that aren’t the most environmentally conscious due to their smaller size.
However, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos has made statements about plans to combat this issue. According to Bezos, “We’re done being in the middle of the herd on this issue — we’ve decided to use our size and scale to make a different.” In September last year, the Climate Pledge was announced, and it calls on the companies that sign to be net zero carbon by 2040, which is a full decade ahead of the Paris Agreement plan of 2050. Amazon is currently pledging to reach 80% renewable energy by 2024 and 100% renewable by 2030, which is well on its path to the Climate Pledge. Amazon has also committed 100 million dollars to restore and protect the greenery. Forests, wetlands, and peatlands will be protected under the Right Now Climate Fund, in partnership with The Nature Conservancy. Sally Jewell, interim CEO of The Nature Conservancy, stated “The science is clear: healthy forests, grasslands, and wetlands are some of the most effective tools we have to address climate change — but we must act now to take natural climate solutions to scale.”
With so much of our lifestyles dictated by these big companies, it’s nice to know that some are pledging to make a difference. However, at the end of the day, these are still companies, and we must be vigilant in keeping watch on the climate. The future will come one day, and we must make sure it’s one that we are happy living in.