How to Reduce Amazon Packaging Waste
In 2013, analysts at one firm estimated that in the US alone, Amazon sent 608 million parcels, meaning the retailer was sending over 1.5 million parcels every day. Sure, this is a convenient and sensible way to shop, but it also drains resources. Think of the cardboard boxes or plastic mailers you can get in one order and multiply that by 608 million – all materials that could end up in landfills if not recycled or reused appropriately (in addition to air bags or other packing materials you receive).
This is a growing problem, and even Amazon’s recent attempts to make its business greener have been unsuccessful. (The company made headlines in February after its plastic mailing became a major problem for several recycling companies, confusing their equipment.)
Of course, the real sustainable solution is to shop locally using online retailers like Amazon to save the resources needed to move your package around the country. But if you, as a regular Amazon shopper, want to cut down on packaging waste, it’s easy – just combine your orders ahead of time and reuse them whenever possible. You may not have zero waste, but that is better than making the problem worse.
Combine your orders and set a delivery date
Since you’re a regular Amazon customer, the easiest way to cut waste is to consolidate your orders; According to the seller on its website , items from multiple orders will be bundled into the same packaging whenever possible, helping to reduce the use of packaging materials.
To do this, all orders must be placed through the same account, shipped to the same address, and ordered “at about the same time,” usually on the same day. You should also purchase items marked “Amazon Done” to ensure they are packaged and shipped together from the same Amazon fulfillment center. When you place an order, you should immediately receive a confirmation email with details of whether the items will be shipped together.
You can also ship eligible items and schedule a delivery date through Amazon’s Day program if you’re a Prime member. Just add items to your cart within a week, and at checkout, select the Amazon Day option and pick your desired delivery date. If you want to ensure that you will be home to receive your merchandise, Amazon Day is also useful for that very purpose.
However, you cannot use Amazon Day for fast one day shipping. You need to reserve a delivery date at least two days before your order, so keep that in mind when shopping.
Order using recyclable packaging and through the warehouse
While this is not the case for all items you find on Amazon, the company will supply certain products in recyclable packaging as part of its “no disappointment” program (designed to combat “packaging rage”). Instead of traditional Amazon bubble wrap packaging, plastic or even smaller boxes inside that packaging, you can get your product in a smaller, recyclable box and nothing more, asthis video demonstrates. (This also raises some concerns about how fragile products might be delivered, so I wouldn’t order electronics through this program just yet.)
Items that can be shipped in recyclable Amazon packaging will be labeled under the purchase option that reads “Item arrives in packaging that shows what’s inside.” If it’s a gift, you can “hide” what’s inside during checkout.
Alternatively, just visit Amazon ‘s recyclable packaging website to find multiple products that can be shipped with less material. As we mentioned, try to cut your supply by ordering items together.
You should also take a look at the Amazon Warehouse program to find deals on used products. Earlier this year, a reporter said several Amazon warehouses in France and the United Kingdom had dumped nearly 300,000 unsold or returned goods in landfills called “destruction zones”; While the reports are mostly limited to these warehouses, they should serve as a reminder that by shopping through the Warehouse you are giving the product a new lease of life and using fewer resources. Just be sure to check the condition of the item on the product page so that you can better assess its quality before purchasing.
Save boxes and packaging for future return and use.
If the items you purchase are not eligible for the Amazon Day or Amazon Packaging Recycling Program, it is best to recycle the materials, especially for returns. Keep boxes, plastic mail, or these air bags handy in case you need to ship something.
As we wrote earlier, buying in bulk is also key, and you always prefer to buy individual items , such as fruit, rather than packed in plastic.
And recycle, recycle, recycle. Most, if not all, recycling programs accept cardboard boxes. For airbags or bubble wrap, use the Earth911 locator to learn how to recycle these packaging materials near you, which may require a trip to your local grocery or hardware store.