Recently, my dad banned me from using Amazon to order things that I would probably be able to drive somewhere to get. His reasoning (I have to admit that it is logical) is that Amazon sends a box, usually to large for whatever is inside, for every order, regardless of the contents and whether it really requires a cardboard box.

This got me thinking about the real problem here. Yes, it would be very helpful to the environment if every individual recycled and reused as much as they are able to, but I feel like the problem is even deeper than that. I think it stems from big companies that supply people with unnecessary and excessive packaging that can't be recycled or is hard to reuse. Amazon, for example, could help the world immensely if they could come up with a system of sustainable packaging. The whole drone idea comes to mind if they can make that work, but something along those lines for all companies could drastically reduce the amount of waste on the planet.

I agree with Eli L. My house receives an Amazon box almost every day, and often the boxes get thrown away and hauled off to landfills. Recycling not only decreases the sizes of landfills, but most importantly, it reduces the amount of greenhouse gas emissions. Also, "a recycling rate of 30% can... [be] equivalent of removing 30 million cars from the roads." I think if we recycle it could help our environment, but what could help our environment more is if Amazon offered a way to send their boxes back to them for them to reuse.  If Amazon (or any other large corporation) offered for you to use recycled boxes for less it would encourage more people to use recycled boxes. I believe that many people are discouraged from using recycled materials because companies will charge more for recycled materials. Also, if the default/first choice for someone to choose was a recycled box instead of a typical box, we could majorly help the environment!

SOURCE: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/b … ycling.php

I agree with you on this. You make a great point! Usually people think that if you recycle anything that it immediately erases any destructive environmental consequences. It still took a lot of energy to make the packaging (boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, etc.), and recycling does not change that, even though it helps the environment a lot. "35.4 million tons of container board were produced in 2014 in the United States..."; that's crazy. If online delivering stopped, it would greatly benefit the environment.

I think this is a really good thing to consider. I never really thought about it. Sometimes, my local bookstores don't have book I am looking for, and thus have to order it online. I definitely know that having a box that could hold 5 books only contains one. Also, the plastic peanuts or bubble wrap can cause an issue. I think that companies should downsize their shipping materials and use better alternatives to plastic products. I think they could use the money they save from the extra shipping to replace the packing peanuts with an environmentally safe alternative, or at least a biodegradable kind. This should not only apply to amazon, but all companies, including in stores. When you buy a box of some kind that contains a lo of Styrofoam, the companies should replace it with a cardboard version or something that can be recycled.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/3 … 64119.html

Hello, I am Sam from North Carolina. I agree with what you are saying about how these big businesses always use packaging that can't be recycled, but is it better for them to bring their product to you, then going to the store? If ten people drove to the store in ten cars, as apposed to one truck delivering it to them wouldn't that produce less greenhouse gasses?