You’re shopping on Amazon and find a really good deal on a pair of socks. You add it to your cart and click the checkout button. In the checkout section, you either have the choice of two day or five day free shipping. Without hesitation, you choose the two day shipping because heck, who would want to wait for three extra days? It comes faster and it’s more convenient for you. You press the order button and just like that, you’ll be the proud owner of a new pair of socks in two days! To most people, if they were given an option to choose for a product to come faster, they would choose that option, but what if I told you that by choosing that fast delivery, you hurt the earth with each purchase.

Due to the limitless possibilities of the internet, online shopping has become a better way to shop as you do not have to physically go to the stores to buy something. According to Vox, 79% of Americans shop online. This is because consumers can shop from anywhere, whether they’re at a park walking their dog, or lying down in bed. Due to this, the amount of packages delivered increased by 65% between the years 2009-2016. (USPS) With this increase in deliveries, there is also an increase in the number of trucks that are on the road. These trucks then produce greenhouse gases that damage the earth, making climate change a bigger problem. Not only are trucks responsible for this, but planes are also contributing to the warming of the globe. If what you ordered online is not available in a nearby office, then a shipment from another location needs to be made. This shipment may come from anywhere, making airplanes another contributing factor to global warming.

We live in a generation where people tend to want things that are fast, free, and convenient. What people don’t understand is by choosing to have comfort, you put a dent in the beloved atmosphere that makes earth so lively. As mentioned before, due to the increase of trucks on the road, more greenhouse gases are being emitted to the atmosphere. To make matters worse, choosing two day delivery doubles the amount of trucks on the road. This is because companies that offer this rush shipping are trying to put out products on the road as fast as possible. According to Vox.com, trucks are being sent out half full because they are trying to meet the customers’request of two day shipping. This causes delivery to be inefficient, as they could’ve packed more packages in the truck thereby reducing the number of trucks on the road. If you, the shopper, let these companies have a little more time to find the most efficient way to transport these packages, such as choosing regular five day shipping, then the companies would not feel as rushed and would be able to fully pack the truck thus making that truck as efficient as possible.

Of course, there are times when you urgently need a product, so using fast shipping would be justifiable there, but if you’re ordering something that you don’t need right away, then you can wait the extra three days to get it. It’s okay, your socks will come nonetheless.

<Timothy Rah Oxford Academy 10th Grade>