The Environmental Impact of One-Day Shipping

Retailers like Amazon and Walmart are offering free one-day delivery options for customers and sometimes you can even opt for shipping as fast as two hours. All that free, fast delivery can have dire environmental impacts.

 

Dr. Anne Goodchild knows a lot about how the things you order online end up at your house.

 

She’s the Founding Director of the University of Washington’s Supply Chain Transportation and Logistics Center. I asked her about my own shopping habits. It turns out, ordering online can be the most environmentally friendly way to get goods to your house. Goodchild says it’s even better than shopping at brick and mortar stores, but only if you choose a longer delivery window. 

 

Some tips for the next time you shop online?

 

Choose “standard shipping” to give retailers more time to efficiently plan your order’s delivery route and remember that even if rush shipping is free, that doesn’t mean it’s the best option.