If you’re an avid Amazon shopper, there are some things you can do to reduce waste and lower your carbon footprint, making your Amazon shopping more eco-friendly.
I think one of my biggest pet peeves is unnecessary plastic. Whether that be products or packaging, I always cringe when I see plastic that’s pointless and that could’ve been replaced with something else that doesn’t take hundreds of years to decompose…
Amazon can be bad for that, which I think is one of the reasons why Amazon gets a lot of hate.
But you don’t need to rack up too much eco-guilt when Amazon shopping.
There are a few ways that you can lower waste when shopping on Amazon and ways to lighten up your carbon footprint.
And I’ll share with you how.
This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you should you click through and make a purchase.
Here are some easy ways to be more eco-friendly shopping on Amazon.
1. Get Plastic-Free Packaging
You can request plastic-free orders on Amazon.
Honestly, I don’t know why this isn’t the go-to method (probably because plastic is cheaper? *sigh*)
Anyways, you can ask Amazon to not use any plastic packaging materials for your orders.
Bear in mind that this doesn’t mean you will get plastic-free packaging 100% of the time. It’s up to the distributors whether or not they do it, but you will definitely end up with less plastic in your orders.
All you need to do to receive plastic-free packaging on Amazon is send an email to [email protected] or use their chat option and request that future orders be plastic-free with minimal packaging. This information will be saved to your account.
2. Opt for Amazon’s Frustration-Free Packaging
You can also opt for frustration-free packaging which is basically products that are designed and tested to ship without any extra Amazon packaging.
Additionally, and the packaging from the company you’re buying from is 100% recyclable.
Search “frustration-free packaging” in the Amazon search bar and products that are eligible will show up.
3. Give Up Fast Shipping
Something you need to consider to make your Amazon shopping more eco-friendly: give up fast shipping.
Amazon Prime has some perks, like access to Amazon Video and Amazon Music, discounted items, and free same-day, one or two-day shipping, but that fast shipping is a luxury, not a necessity.
You can say goodbye to fast shipping by opting out of Amazon Prime.
(And honestly, there are better ways to spend that 100+ bucks you’re paying for Amazon Prime, like a subscription with MightyNest.)
You can also choose no-rush shipping on Amazon, which will help reduce the carbon footprint of your orders.
Most of the time it will come in a box that’s a perfect size with little to no plastic packaging.
And when you choose no-rush shipping, Amazon will add a $1 digital reward to your account that you can use to purchase ebooks, digital music, videos and apps. (U.S. only.)
4. Shop Local
When shopping on Amazon, try and shop brands local to your country or continent.
If you’re in the United States, buy products made in the United States or Canada rather than a product that will ship overseas from somewhere like China, for example.
Buying products that aren’t so far away from you will help make your Amazon shopping more eco-friendly because that product has to travel less distance to get to you.
That means a lower carbon footprint for your Amazon orders.
When searching on Amazon, you can literally just include “made in USA” in your search and results will pop up majority of the time.
For example, I had searched “eco friendly products made in USA” and found some great products that don’t come from China like these beeswax wraps. I bought them mainly because they were made in the USA.
5. Reuse Packaging Materials
You can make shopping in Amazon a little more eco-friendly by dedicating yourself to start holding onto and reusing the packaging material your products come shipped in.
Cardboard boxes can be reused to keep items in storage, or reused for gifting purposes. I have a box of boxes in storage specifically for this, in all shapes and sizes.
Cardboard boxes are also great for making crafts for the kids… or the cats.
Whatever cardboard boxes you don’t want to hold onto, remove the Amazon tape and recycle the cardboard box.
You can also reuse any type of plastic bubble wrap or plastic air pockets for storage too. This is especially handy if you’re moving and need to protect breakables.
6. Shop Secondhand on Amazon
Did you know you can buy used items on Amazon’s website?
A lot of stuff I own is secondhand, including furniture and clothing because I believe in the importance of extending the life cycle of items.
If you’re comfortable purchasing secondhand items online and want to get items on sale, you can shop via Amazon Second Chance.
- Amazon Rentals – Textbook rentals for a semester at a time or monthly basis.
- Amazon Warehouse – Get deals on pre-owned, used and open-box items for furniture, kitchen appliances, clothes and more.
- Amazon Renewed – Same concept but with electronics and tools, with Amazon Renewed Guarantee. (90 day replacement or refund.)
- Certified Refurbished Amazon Devices – Pre-owned Amazon devices that are tested and verified by Amazon, with the same warranty as new products.
7. Buy in Bulk
Making bulk purchases is a great way to be more eco-friendly when shopping on Amazon.
Buying in bulk creates less overall waste and lowers the carbon footprint of your orders since it means less trucks on the road.
Buying in bulk from any store is great for that matter.
Basically, if it’s a product that you will be using month after month and continuously buying, like soap for example, buy more than one to reduce future orders.
8. Make Less Overall Purchases
Another thing you want to consider too is buying less.
Reducing your consumption of all things is essential when trying to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle.
Prioritize buying only what you need and like I stated before, buy what you cannot buy locally.
A minimalist lifestyle is an eco-friendly lifestyle in it’s own way, so it’s never a bad idea to implement minimalist lifestyle changes into your day to day.
9. Read Amazon Reviews
This is kind of a no-brainer regardless of being mindful of sustainability or not, but always read reviews.
I never buy something that doesn’t have good reviews. I like to know in advance that the product is high-quality and worth my money.
I absolutely do not want to buy something that I will not use, and therefore create unnecessary waste.
The reviews on Amazon are a great way to see if something is worth buying and help you finalize your decision on a product.
10. Use Amazon to Search for Brands
Instead of buying products on Amazon, why not use Amazon to search for brands but not actually shop there?
What’s most important to me when shopping is the companies I’m buying from.
I want to support the eco-conscious brands that sell their products on Amazon, not Amazon. There’s a difference. I mean, Jeff Bezos is rich enough.
Amazon is a platform for selling products. When you buy a product on Amazon, it’s not from Amazon. Although they do take a cut.
There are so many awesome brands that make their products available to be sold on Amazon, as well as on their own website.
If you don’t want to buy from them on Amazon, you can purchase products from those brands directly on their website.
Oftentimes, you can get something like a 10% discount just by signing up to their email list, for example.
Final Thoughts, and Eco-Friendly Alternatives to Amazon
I think the main reason people shop on Amazon is because they can find various products all in one place.
But what if I told you there was an eco-friendly alternative to Amazon, where all the products were sustainable, that also removes the need for you to conduct research to see if the product or brand is eco-friendly?
An online shopping site where every product is vetted for sustainability and put through an approval process?
Where you don’t have to worry about necessary plastic packaging or the carbon footprint of your orders because it’s offset?
There’s a site like this. It’s called EarthHero, and it is hands down the best eco-friendly alternative to Amazon that I’ve come across so far!
The Amazon of sustainable products
My favorite part is the product pages, and how they tell you all the sustainable and ethical measures that product has. Hover over the icons to learn more about what makes the product awesome.
You can also earn points by shopping on EarthHero, sharing products via their site, and writing reviews for the products you bought. Every 100 points is worth $5 off your next purchase. How cool is that?
Check out EarthHero and use my coupon code MINDFULHOME for 10% off your orders.
For now, EarthHero only ships in the United States. If you’re Canadian, a good marketplace for sustainable products is Well!
If you still want to shop reusable products on Amazon, here’s a list of zero-waste products on Amazon that you can check out if you need any recommendations. I’ve done the work for you!
