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 — up to an estimated 40% of returns never make it back on the shelves [woof]. 😬

And the impact adds up fast; a couple wild stats:

🌍 16 million tonnes of CO₂ are emitted from global fashion returns alone each year — that’s equivalent to 3.5 million(!) gas-powered cars on the road for a whole year. (Earth.org)

🌍 Returns in the U.S. generated an estimated 9.5 billion(!!) pounds of landfill waste in a single year. (Optoro)

SO, what can we do about it?

• Make more intentional purchases — pause before you click “buy.”

• Check sizing charts and measure your space to reduce the guesswork. 📏

• Shop in person when you can — especially at local + small businesses that truly benefit from your support (coming from a small business owner, I promise this will ALWAYS be a good idea and makes SUCH a positive impact). 🛒

• Keep and rehome items that didn’t work instead of sending them back — donate, gift, or share in your local Buy Nothing group [my fave!]. 🤝

• Bonus: Support brands with transparent return policies or circular programs — some resale or refurbish instead of destroy. ♻️

Returns have become a “normal” part of online shopping, but with a little awareness and a few mindful habits, we can cut down on unnecessary waste and lower our footprint. Small shifts, BIG impact — you’ve absolutely got this. 💚

With less waste and lots of love,

Ali