Which Shopping Is More Eco-Friendly? Online Shopping Vs The Mall

 While online shopping may not provide you with that immediate gratification of walking out with your purchase, there are numerous benefits to offset that feeling. I came across a wonderful study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, which helped clarify that online shopping is significantly greener than traditional shopping. Matthews and Hendricksen - the two engineers who conducted the research - studied the book industry to assess which type of shopping was friendlier to the environment. They compared a traditional bricks-and-mortar store with an online equivalent, and used a number of criteria to assess overall cost and environmental implications: shipping distances; emissions from cars, delivery trucks and planes used in the hand made goods in USA transport of products; retail and warehouse space demands; and the resources used to return products. At the end of the report, they concluded that e-commerce sales indeed have a cost advantage and environmental benefits over traditional shopping.

I've expanded upon their conclusions and want to highlight further customer and environmental benefits:

Lower Carbon Footprint

Individual cars all travelling to the mall produce significantly more emissions than one vehicle delivering packages ordered online, particularly since many transport companies are moving to electric and hybrid vehicles. It's even more eco-friendly if you opt for ground delivery and forgo airlifted packages entirely. Studies have also found that online shopping results in less product returns, eliminating even more trips in the car.

Greener Packaging

We surveyed a number of online companies and unlike most stores that issue plastic bags, online orders tend to be shipped in recyclable and often recycled cardboard boxes. While there does tend to be a bit more need for filler and packing supplies, those actual supplies are generally made of more sustainable materials.

Lower Energy Consumption

Most online shops store their products in a facility not intended for customer shopping. Warehouses or garages tend to have lower heating requirements and less lighting - all reducing the energy needed to run the operation.

More Selection and Ability to Compare Prices

Who hasn't lost a few hours while surfing the web checking out products? The internet offers the ability to compare hundreds of products, prices and consumer reviews, all the while not leaving the comfort of your home, and consuming little energy other than the use of your computer. Instead of driving from store to store, e-commerce lets you source products from your home.