Over the past few years, it has become increasingly important to not only the economy, but for our environment, that as a society, we continue to support small businesses. Supply and demand, monopolies and all this junk you hear in the news is real, and chain companies are poisonous to the world around us. While these chains are consuming properties, they are also stealing ideas, passions, dreams and livelihood, as well as destroying our environment.
Amazon is a prime example of negative impacts on our planet. Amazon’s annual sustainability report states within the past year, their activity equates to 71.27 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. Furthermore, it was recently discovered thanks to Amazon’s sustainability report, they only tally carbon emissions which are Amazon-branded products, which only makes up for one percent of its total online sale. This means 39% of products Amazon owns and sells, and 60% of products sold by third-party vendors, are not taken into account within this report. It is safe to say, that if we were to ever find out the actual amount of harm this one brand is doing to our planet, people would see how detrimental harm their unconscious shopping actually is.
Additionally, in case you are unaware, carbon dioxide and global warming are linked together, consequently, when there is an increase in carbon dioxide being polluted, this means there is an increase in the warming of our earth. And based on Amazon’s track history, they are a net contributor to global warming. This is just one downside of one big corporation, therefore one must imagine the effects of all corporations, and compare it to the deteriorating state of our planet.
“Small businesses employ 61.7 million workers in the United States alone. By employing 61.7 million people, small businesses contribute to 46.4 percent of the total number of US employees.”
Brimco
It is paramount for every individual to do good for our world to keep our economy and environment in balance. The solution to doing this is one you already do daily: shop! But do so, sustainably. Small businesses are the way to go, whether it is a small shop down the block from you or an Etsy store: you get to not only discover new places but also find unique pieces. Thrifting is also a great way to do this, but try to keep it local- know where your money is going!
In a perfect world we would be able to buy a shirt for a dollar, get it delivered within the hour and have it leave a positive impact: but thinking the world would work like this would be ignorant. To conclude, the evidence is clear enough as to why we have to take matters into our own hands and look into sustainable, small businesses whose effects will be far less drastic, while simultaneously keeping our economy in check. So, instead of spending money on Amazon, try giving back to your community and ordering from small businesses. We need to keep people’s passions in business, and by getting something cute with a click of a button, we will be able to make a small difference in the world!
To promote this mindset, here are just a few cool, more environmentally-friendly finds that would look great in your shopping cart.
- Bow Bags from Lucky Loves
- “Feeling Fruity” skirt collection from Les Miss NYC
- Studio 54 Disco Ball Tee from In Print We Trust
- Sent With Love Necklace from Evry Jewels
- Bow Phone Case from SweetCaseUS on Etsy
