📦 Record-Breaking Sales
Amazon Prime Day 2023 set a new record with 375 million items sold in just two days. The first day alone was the company's biggest sales day ever. However, the environmental cost of such massive consumption is concerning. Amazon's efforts to be more sustainable include using 100% recycled paper for packaging and deploying over 24,000 electric delivery vehicles. Despite these steps, the scale of Prime Day exacerbates environmental issues.
🌍 Plastic Waste Crisis
Amazon replaced 95% of its plastic air pillows with recycled paper. Last year, nearly 15 billion air pillows were used in North America. Celeste Meiffren-Swango of Environment America acknowledges the improvement but emphasizes the need for further reduction in all single-use plastics. Most plastic packaging still ends up in landfills or incinerators. A report by Environment America found that much of Amazon’s plastic packaging isn’t recycled, underlining the need for better solutions.
🌿 Emissions and Overconsumption
Prime Day 2022 resulted in over 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to the annual emissions of 68,000 Americans. These emissions come not just from Amazon’s operations but also from the manufacturing of products sold. Popular items like electronics contribute significantly due to their short lifespans and intensive production processes. While Amazon aims to support third-party decarbonization, the fundamental issue remains the sheer volume of consumption.
🛍 The Impact of Consumerism
At the heart of Prime Day’s environmental impact is overconsumption. Environmental journalist J.B. MacKinnon argues that reducing consumption is crucial for sustainability. Many Prime Day purchases offer short-term satisfaction but contribute to long-term environmental damage. Intentional buying and reducing unnecessary consumption are key. Despite the allure of deals, it's important to consider the environmental cost and opt for sustainable alternatives.
How do you think Amazon can better address environmental issues?
