The Return Habit We Should Break
I’m currently deep-diving into the circular economy in my Climatebase Fellowship, and while there’s so much we could unpack, let’s zoom in on something we all do without thinking: online returns. 🛍️
We’ve all ordered multiple sizes/colors/options with the intention of sending back whatever doesn’t work. It feels efficient… but behind the scenes, it’s actually pretty rough on the planet. The labor, transportation, processing, quality checks, and restocking often cost companies more than simply paying the disposal fee to toss the item. Yep — many returns never make it back on the shelves [woof]. 😬
Let’s Talk About Food Waste
Here’s a startling fact: in the U.S., it’s estimated that up to 40% of all food is wasted, from farms to retailers to homes. Not only is that a major environmental concern, but it’s also a huge waste of money and resources. And the kicker? Most of this waste is completely preventable.
But don’t worry — tackling food waste at home is way easier than you might think.