E-Commerce and its Environmental Impact
From Bricks to Clicks
“E-commerce is growing at a rate of 18-20% per year and it is accelerating.”
The simplicity of online purchasing is driving more sales every day, and cardboard use is increasing too. Consumers are spending less at local stores (brick and mortar sales) and focusing their spending online. Online merchants like Amazon, Etsy, and Overstock are paving the way in this growing e-commerce industry. According to Armstrong Investment Research, e-commerce is growing at an estimated rate of 30% by 2030. The contents of that fresh cardboard box on your doorstep is the e-commerce payoff. That’s a lot of cardboard boxes to pack and ship. Demand for that cardboard is increasing by 4% through 2030. Realistically, cardboard production needs to grow by 60% in the next 13 years (Armstrong).
The demand for cardboard is increasing, but production is decreasing. The cardboard industry has not grown in 20 years; there is a major need to double in capacity. In 2017, 750 million packages were delivered in one month’s time. So, what does this mean for your resources? With the packaging of products, electronic commerce will demand from our environment an additional 35.4 million tons of cardboard in a year. Continuing to participate in e-commerce is inevitable. But, there’s a tried and true solution, recycling. Recycling cardboard and corrugated board packaging will extend the life of our landfills and extend the life of environmental resources. 40 percent of landfill space is taken up by cardboard and paper. Unsure if it’s recyclable? Follow these simple tips for successful cardboard recycling!