Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner, and we’ve already started predicting what sustainable items we’ll see deals on this year. While shopping for eco-friendly products specifically is a good start to approaching this two-day shopping event, which will take place June 21-22, there are plenty of additional ways to lower your impact. Here’s how to shop Amazon Prime Day 2021 with the smallest carbon footprint possible.
First, look for the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly badge, which notes products that feature at least one major sustainability certification. This list is long but includes respected certifications like Cradle-to-Cradle, Fairtrade International, Energy Star, Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS), Forest Stewardship Council, Made in Green by OEKO-TEX, Rainforest Alliance and much more. When browsing products, the Amazon Climate Pledge Friendly badge will be your first clue that an item is sustainable, but be sure to check out the item’s description for more details on certifications.
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Another key shopping tip is to check out Amazon’s Handmade and Shop Local sections. Yes, you really can shop small on Amazon! Check out the Handmade section here, where you can browse items made by hand. These items can also be sorted by region for those who want to shop local. If you want to shop locally, and aren’t necessarily in the market for something handcrafted, you can also browse by region here.
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A big draw of being a Prime member is the quick shipping options, including same-day, one-day or two-day shipping. This often means items are shipped as soon as they are available rather than bundled together in one package. While this is convenient, patience is a virtue. Once you’ve filled your cart, consider choosing the longest shipping time available, and if possible, request all items be shipped together. This saves on delivery emissions and lessens the impact of your Prime Day order.
Amazon has a Shipment Zero initiative that aims for 50% net-zero carbon shipments by 2030, and the company has been working toward less packaging waste with fully recyclable options and smaller package sizes to better fit the size of each order. Once your order arrives at your door and you’ve unwrapped all your items, be sure to reuse or properly recycle the mailers and cardboard boxes. Amazon’s Second Chance program offers more information on how to recycle each packaging material.
If you plan to shop Amazon Prime Day 2021, it’s important to keep the planet in mind. Lessen your impact by checking for sustainable certifications, shopping locally, practicing patience with longer shipping times and reducing, reusing or recycling the packaging.
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