Monthly Archives: June 2024

Even Behemoths expected to try

CNN reports that Amazon will soon discontinue plastic pillows used to pack items for shipping.

No surprise.

The surprise is the lag-time for ‘Zon to get around to doing it.

eg Kimberly-Clark was using Paper Pillows for freight cushioning almost 4 decades ago. And yes, they were costlier than plastic- but it was the right thing to do.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/06/21/business/amazon-stops-using-plastic-pillows

Imagine what a firm as big & profitable as Amazon might achieve by investing to create net new eco-responsible solutions, rather than wait for its supply chain to create & prove solutions, then wait decades more for the public pressure to win out vs the economic savings of plastic.

Amazon doesn’t let me ‘group together’ or ‘bulk up’ my item orders before checkout; imo giving consumers that choice, so they can reduce the delivery carbon footprint, should be e-tail ‘price of entry’.

It’s sad that ‘Zon doesn’t get more public backlash for a lack of effort to protect the planet. But BE-4* you ask why the firm doesn’t try harder to be responsible, a firm’s #ethics start at the top– and this firm’s owner, instead of investing in solutions for this planet, spends billions on methane-belching rocket voyages that extend his pollution footprint beyond our own planet.

Eco-fees an ethic/legal sore spot

An update via CBC on Dollarama’s eco-fee class action lawsuit- imo a troubled topic- retailers must make margin but also try to send worthy ‘eco signals’ – perhaps in future more retailers will try to reduce the need to fight such lawsuits by more explicitly showing/explaining any specific eco-fees? via emails, websites, store signage?

Maybe it’s just me – but imo charging an eco fee on batteries & other discardable electronics/ hazardous waste is a defensible approach if one is upfront about it & where the fee$ are donated/spent.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/dollarama-class-settlement-dismissed-1.7235668