Convenience vs the Environment

Watching online ordering continue to grow while brick and mortar stores increasingly close, I cringe at the cost of online convenience. Not only do we lose the ability to go to the store to pick up items in person – and on demand – we also increase the amount of packaging and packing waste, and we drive the need for more warehouses with all the environmental damage they cause.

Online ordering produces cardboard, packing material, plastic bag and plastic envelope waste. Much of it is non-recyclable, or at least it does not make it into the household or business recycling bin. I order online at times, mostly when I can’t get the product I want at a local store. The irony is that increased online ordering has reduced the breadth of products available at stores. Many items need to be ordered online and shipped to the store. If I am going to have to take both steps, I’ll look for a site that has the product and will ship it to my house, thus perpetuating the cycle and adding to the packaging waste. Yes, your honor, I am guilty.

My research in the area of packaging waste is limited to our orders and our immediate neighborhood but it provides a glimpse into the buying habits of average families. On my block, many homes get at least 5 deliveries a week, EACH. That’s a lot of boxes, bags, envelopes, etc. The brown, blue, and white trucks and vans cruising around town are ever-present and increasing in number.

While most online packages contain excess packing material, the packaging used by the numerous meal plan sites is some of the most wasteful. One company ships the food in cardboard boxes lined with foil sheets – that at least can be pulled out and recycled, while also allowing the box to be recycled. However, I see many of those boxes awaiting pickup in the weekly trash collection. So much for recyclable packaging.

To keep the food cold, frozen packs are included in every box; 1 – 2 per box. While the gel is supposedly OK to put down the kitchen drain when thawed (is the material really safe for the pipes and sewer system?) and the plastic bag containing it is recyclable, how many people take the time and effort to recycle the materials? I haven’t picked through anyone’s trash but I’m betting if someone doesn’t take the time to remove the foil so the box can be recycled, that person isn’t about to tackle the cold packs. We have 4 of those packs in our freezer from a trial of one of those companies. The main reason we didn’t continue was the amount of waste involved in each shipment. We prefer to go to the supermarket with our re-usable bags. It’s much cheaper too!

The biggest irony is that so many people who supposedly care so much for the environment continue to shop online to save time and effort, with convenience eclipsing concern about all the packaging waste being generated by such behavior (a hangover from Covid lockdowns when that was all we could do?). Another twist is people freaking out when major retailers announce they are closing stores due to lackluster brick and mortar sales. Why is that a surprise to so many people who shop almost exclusively online?

I’m not against online shopping. As I stated above, I am guilty too. My hope though is that we will get back to going to local stores as much as possible to ensure their survival, and that the online giants will continue to find ways to reduce packaging waste and use as much recycled and recyclable material as possible. If we can achieve both of those things, we will retain the convenience of having local stores for those immediate needs, and the environment will be less impacted. A rare win-win in this crazy time.

I will be taking the next 2 weeks off for our annual “get the hell out of NJ in Feb.” trip.

Next post will be week of March 6rh.

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com 2-13-2023