Online shopping: to be or not to be
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Preparation. Match the definitions (a–h) with the vocabulary (1–8).
1. an impact
2. ecological
3. landfill
4. retail
5. a retailer
6. carbon footprint
7. a campaign group
8. to purchase
a. the activity of selling goods to the public
b. the powerful effect that something has on something else
d. the calculation of how much CO2 a person, company, etc. produces, which is used to measure the environmental damage they cause
c. to buy something
e. a place where large amounts of rubbish are buried in the ground
f. a person or shop that sells goods to the public
g. a group of people that organises actions/protests to achieve a particular aim
h. relating to the relationship between plants, animals, people, water, land, etc.
Environmental impact of online shopping
In the past few decades, the way we shop has changed dramatically. We used to buy our goods in traditional shops, on the high street or in department stores. Now, customers are increasingly buying online, where they can order whatever they want directly to their door with the click of a mouse. One in seven sales are now made online and studies suggest that by 2021, global online retail will reach an enormous US$4.8 trillion. As companies race to improve their internet shopping experience, the trend towards shopping online is predicted to continue.
But what is the impact of all this online shopping on the environment? You might think that online shopping is greener than in-store shopping. After all, an online store does not use the electricity that a traditional store might use and it doesn’t require the customer to drive anywhere. Items are often delivered to several homes at once, so you would think the carbon savings must be significant. Take the typical home delivery round in the UK, for example. Supermarket drivers often do 120 deliveries on an 80-kilometre round, producing 20 kilograms of CO2 in total. In contrast, a 21-kilometre drive to the store and back for one household would generate 24 times more CO2!
However, the reality is slightly more complex than that. Many home deliveries fail the first time and the driver has to make a second or third attempt to deliver the purchase. Customers who choose speedy delivery or those who buy single items from different places also contribute towards increasing the carbon footprint. The carbon footprint also goes up if the customer chooses to return the item. A study in Germany showed that as many as one in three online purchases are returned. According to another study, merchandise worth nearly US$326 million is returned each year in the USA. Two billion kilograms of this ends up in landfill, leading to 13 tonnes of CO2 being released. Clothing is one product that has high return rates. Unlike in a walk-in store, the online shopper can’t try things on before buying. So, companies offer free returns to make it easier for shoppers to purchase the same item of clothing in different sizes and colours. Customers try them at home, keep one and return the rest of them. However, when clothes are returned, they are not always cleaned and put back for sale. This is because many companies have found it cheaper to simply throw away the returned items than to pay someone to sort the damaged goods from the unwanted ones. In these cases, the returned clothes, which might be in perfect condition, end up in landfills or burnt.
When we take all these factors into consideration, we realise that online shopping isn’t necessarily as green as people might think. That last kilometre to your door is costly, for companies and for the environment. There is some positive news, as various online retailers are starting to lower their carbon footprint by investing in electric delivery vehicles. However, the question of how to deal with returns efficiently and without waste is a challenge that many companies have not wanted to face. As online shoppers become aware of what companies are doing, and campaign groups demand urgent action in the face of the climate and ecological emergency, there is increasing pressure for companies to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their activities.
Task 1
Are the sentences true or false?
1. More sales are now made online than in shops.
2. It is predicted that more and more shopping will be done online in the future.
3. Online shopping uses less electricity than in-store shopping.
4. The carbon footprint of online shopping is made worse by failed deliveries, speedy delivery and returns.
5. Companies encourage customers to try clothes on at home.
6. Companies make sure returned clothes are repackaged and resold.
7. Most companies now use electric delivery vans.
8. Most companies have found environmentally-friendly solutions for the problem of returned goods.
Task 2. Write the word to fill the gaps.
1. In the past few decades, the way we shop ……………………………… changed dramatically.
2. We used ……………………………… buy our goods in traditional shops.
3. Now, customers ……………………………… increasingly buying online.
4. The trend towards shopping online is predicted ……………………………… continue.
5. You might think that online shopping is greener ……………………………… in-store shopping.
6. Customers ……… choose speedy delivery or buy single items from different places also contribute towards increasing the carbon footprint.
7. The carbon footprint also goes …………………… if the customer chooses to return the item.
8. Many companies have found it cheaper to simply throw ……………… the returned items.
Discussion
Do you shop online? How can online shopping’s environmental impact be lessened?
1-b
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No, I rarely buy something online. I prefer shopping in regular stores because I like to immediately try on and buy.
To reduce the environmental impact of online shopping sellers can use fewer plastic bags, deliver more goods with one transport, also improve the return system, buyers should be patient and choose slow delivery.
Djaneta A.
Abakarova Bika
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Yes, I often buy things online. I prefer it more than shopping in regular stores. And because of the pandemic, online shopping has become very popular. And unfortunately it has a bad impact on the environment.
So to reduce this impact, companies can offer customers to return goods themselves to special points so that companies can pick up several goods at a time.Also buyers can choose slow delivery, it is more environmentally friendly or buy things without plastic bags, many online stores provide such a service.
Zagidkadieva Kamilla
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Yes,I do.It saves my time and i can find a variety of products from different brands.
Firstly, the sellers should use less plastic bags because it pollutes the environment.
Secondly, the best way to less the impact of online shopping is to create the system of cash back.Buyers will not throw away the package, they will save it and give back to seller. Then, sellers will set the percentage discounts . It will good for everybody
Finally , make logistics more efficient .The simplest way is to send more goods in the same transport
Khairulaeva Shuanat
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No, I buy things more often in regular stores. I prefer to see things with my own eyes, touch it or try it on before buying.
Online store owners should use packaging made from natural materials. They also should limit the use of environmentally harmful materials that are dangerous to animals and plants, such as plastic.
Rashidov Djalalutdin
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Yes, I do. To be honest, I really forgot how it feels to go to a mall or any different place to buy clothes. Online shopping is just too comfortable for customers in comparison with other ways of buying. For me it's not even a debate.
However, e-commerce may lead to sad consequences as well. It can be harmful for the environment. And in order to lessen that impact companies can change materials to ones that are harmless for the environment.
Agaverdieva Tsukver
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Yes, I often buy things on the Internet, because it is convenient and saves my time.
To reduce the environmental impact of online shopping, companies use pick-up points located near customers' homes and in local stores. This allows customers to leave the product they didn’t like at the pick-up points and not call a courier for this. Companies can also replace plastic packaging with eco-packaging.
Nazhmudinova Siyada
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Of course, I shop online as everyone does nowadays. I guess, people should be more responsible. There is a term “wise consumption” which means sustainable use and smart approach to the selection of one’s purchases. All of us should understand the bad effect our wasteful consumption patterns have on the environment and ourselves too.
Azizov Murad
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I prefer to buy on traditional shop because its more easy to try produtc on and sure I don´t fail with the size. For me it's unconfortable to return from item when the buy is online because I don´t have enoug time to return de items to postal office. I think the goverment must help to companies for implementing secure measures in online commerce