An Honest Look Into Making Ecologically-Sensitive and Personally Practical Shopping Decisions

BY SHANA LYNN YAO

It’s 2020 and you’ve seen the eco-conscious lights flashing before you. Gone are your days of unconsciously over-consuming - and with the #climatechange hashtag proudly displayed on your social media, you’re determined to live a lifestyle that aligns with your sustainable values.

And then, like the devil emerging from the smoke, you’re hit with Amazon Prime Day, and that kid-in-a-candy-store-I’ll-just-take-a-look old self emerges.

The temptation is real. All of those amazing sales and deals everyone is talking about - and after all, you did hear Amazon announce that they wanted to address climate change, right?

Riiiggghht…but in this information-filled, greenwashed world, it’s hard to tell what is real and what may still be a polluted black mess under all of that green paint. But I’m a realist, and truth be told, Amazon isn’t going anywhere. And personally, I actually think Amazon CAN be used, while also doing our best to live an eco-friendly lifestyle.

From my perspective, our job is not to bad mouth and banish it, but to understand the the facts, and find ways to consciously use it, with real solutions that are both practical AND environmentally sensitive, so each of us can make future shopping decisions that align with our slow living values.

THE TRUTH ABOUT AMAZON

Can people who are committed to living a sustainable lifestyle, shop at Amazon? The truth is, Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos unveiled a plan in 2019 to tackle climate change, committing the retail giant to meet the goals of the Paris climate agreement 10 years ahead of schedule. Calling it a “Climate Pledge”, the plan called for other companies to join Amazon in pledging to have net zero carbon emissions by 2040. As part of the announcement, Amazon even agreed to purchase 100,000 electric delivery vans in 2020.

The announcement was all over the news and was met with applause and relief by many. But when we took a closer look, we found a few slippery oil slicks in a sea of future promises.

GREENWASHING LEAVES STAINS

Amazon’s carbon footprint alone is staggering. In 2018, Amazon emitted 44.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide — greater than the carbon footprint of Switzerland. So when they pledged to buy 100,000 electric vehicles, it was a notable pledge. Given this was an unexpected year, nevertheless, the richest company in the world proceeded to buy 20,000 fossil fuel powered trucks this year and never announced plans to move towards electric vehicles, as reported by CNN.

And even with that said, the emissions from delivering items all over the world is not the real issue.

The real problem of Amazon is that it has a business model that relies upon over-consumption. And THIS is what is destroying the earth. So despite their outward gestures to reduce deliveries, optimize methods, and spend more to cancel their footprint, their entire business model capitalizes on our own human motivations to want more and buy more. It’s simple economics: Amazon’s strengths are its lower prices and ease of purchasing. This increases demand, and Amazon then increases the supply to meet that demand. The more Amazon sells, the more resources required to produce, package and ship their goods all over the world.

The problem then, is not just on Amazon’s shoulders. The problem lies in our own ability to be conscious to what we actually NEED, what we don’t, and to resist temptation.

Easier said then done.

SLOW SHOPPING IN THE FAST LANE

We can’t stop technology and production, and in a developing and technological world, we can and should take advantage of the many POSITIVE things that these advancements have created, and we can use those things for good.

As stated earlier, Amazon provides convenience and essentials to many in need. So while we cannot control how they operate their business, we CAN control how we operate our lives. Knowledge IS powerful and empowering when they are backed with intention and love.

Here are a few ideas you can use to help guide and align your shopping behaviors with your own eco-friendly, and sustainable values.

1 - THE ANSWERS ARE IN THE QUESTIONS

Here are a few questions you can ask, to ensure your purchases are in alignment with your values.

1. What ARE the sustainable values that I want to live by?

2. What do I really need?

3. Is there a more eco-conscious alternative that would save energy or help me save the planet?

4. What else could I do with this time and money?

5. Will buying this make me healthier? Happier? More fulfilled long term?

6. What am I grateful for? How can I welcome more of that into my life so I don’t “need” and “want” all of this stuff?

2 - REDUCE YOUR CONSUMPTION, PARTICULARLY PURCHASES OF CHEAP, SINGLE-USE ITEMS.

In simple terms, buy less, and buy better. Whether we are talking about a coffee maker, fast fashion, or a piece of clothing, when you think long term, you consider the lifetime value of the item. Investing in something that is better quality, made from organic, natural, and sustainable raw materials, from a company you trust, ensures the longevity of the item and extends the use. The more intention you put into your purchases and the better quality you buy, the less waste you will produce, and the smaller your carbon footprint will be.

3. SPEND MORE TIME IN NATURE

While this doesn’t sound like a shopping tip, spending more time in nature helps you and your family develop a deeper connection with the natural world. When we foster this appreciation for the world around us, we naturally become stewards of the earth.

Protecting nature actually can help us tackle the climate crisis. According to Nature Needs Half, an international coalition of scientists, conservationists, nonprofits, and public officials, protecting half of the planet will allow the environment to “continue to function for the benefit of all life, and support human well-being”.

Their work has set the target on 2030, to combat the overproduction and damage we have done to biodiversity and the ecosystem. Amazon’s philosophy is different. “To protect the earth, we have to go to space,” Jeff Bezos announced last year. Instead of protecting and saving what is, his solution is producing more to travel somewhere that may or may not save the planet.

You don’t have to go to space to preserve and cherish nature. You can start at home, with your own family. Spending time daily in nature with your children not only creates a future generation of stewards of the planet, but inspires their natural confidence and creativity, and helps them develop their human experience.

4 - ECO CONSCIOUS SHOPPING ON AMAZON

Being completely environmentally friendly in a modern world is near impossible. And the goal, after all, is not to be perfect. The goal is to #knowbetterdobetter and make better choices whenever possible. So if you do shop on Amazon, here are a few planet-friendly things to keep in mind:

1. Be intentional every time you open Amazon. What do you need? What is something you are buying just because you saw it on social media? How is it adding value to your life?

2. Shop only Climate Pledge certified brands.

3. Put the item you want in the “save later” category. Chances are, if you don’t need it, you will forget about it.

4. Reduce your packaging waste by grouping items - even if that means longer ship times.

5. Get Frustration-Free Packaging Shop second-hand on Amazon.

6. Buy Used. Repurpose your shipping box.

7. Use Amazon Smile - which donates a percentage of every sale to a non profit of your choice, actually DOING GOOD with every purchase.

8. Find a sustainable brand to buy from instead. Sites like Done Good that helps you find sustainable, planet friendly brands when you are searching another non-sustainable site like Amazon, for a particular item. They also rate sites you are on, based on their ethical and sustainable values.

CONSCIOUSNESS INSTEAD OF CONSUMERISM

The real question is, how much STUFF do we actually need?

I’m 52 and finally, I just gave some of my moms old clothes away. Since she died 15 years ago, I hadn’t had the courage to face the fact that holding onto her “stuff”, wasn’t making me feel any closer to her. She is alive in my heart, and all of the memories I have from my past and childhood, didn’t involve STUFF. They were things that I will have with me until I die. And to me, THAT is what matters.

What REALLY matters to you? Our real job in life is to become the people we are meant to be and live meaningful lives - whatever that means to you.. When we act with intention and empower our choices with knowledge, gratitude and heart, we each can leave the world a better place because we are in it.

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Shana Yao is a Conscious Brand Strategist and Founder of Total Genius, where she helps creative entrepreneurs and brands clarify their vision and transform it into an actionable and inspired brand strategy that produces results. Using her 30 years of experience directing the marketing for multimillion dollar retail and shopping center locations, including the famed Rodeo Drive, and working with entrepreneurs and purposeful brands, Shana’s mission is to help business owners cut through the confusion of business and build their personal and professional success from the inside out. Shana is a dog mom and dog advocate, the winner of the International Shopping Center (ICSC) MAXI Award for Innovative Marketing Programs and was voted Volunteer of the Year for spcaLA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles). She loves meeting new people, so reach out @total_genius and www.holisticgenius.co.