Environmental Impacts of Online Shopping

1. Environmental Impacts

2. Ice Breaker

3. Warm up

4. Reading & Discussion

5. Comprehension Check

6. Homework

7. Feedback

8. Goodbye

Lesson Outline

Make students aware of the environmental impacts that comes from the everyday choices we make and how to find solutions for leaving less of a carbon footprint

Lesson Objective

Online shopping may not be as green as you think. Here's how shopping online can have a surprisingly large carbon footprint.

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Environmental impact of online shopping

ICE BREAKER

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Guess the character from the image

WARM UP

Before we begin, let's see what you may already know. (a test of your vocabulary)

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Environmental impact of online shopping

Multiple Choice

1. the activity of selling goods to the public

• retail

• an impact

• retailer

• a campaign group

Multiple Choice

2. the powerful effect that something has on something else

• retail

• an impact

• retailer

• a campaign group

Multiple Choice

4. the calculation of how much CO2 a person, company, organization, etc. produces, which is used to measure the environmental damage they cause

• carbon footprint

• an impact

• retailer

• a campaign group

• to purchase

Multiple Choice

5. a place where large amounts of trash is buried in the ground

• carbon footprint

• an impact

• ecological

• landfill

• to purchase

Multiple Choice

6. a person or shop that sells goods to the public

• retail

• an impact

• a retailer

• landfill

• to purchase

Multiple Choice

7. a group of people that organizes actions or protests to achieve a particular aim

• a campaign group

• ecological

• a retailer

• landfill

• to purchase

Multiple Choice

8. relating to the relationship between plants, animals, people, water, land, air, etc.

• a campaign group

• ecological

• a retailer

• landfill

• to purchase

Environmental impact of online shopping

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READING

​Business magazine: Environmental impact of online shopping – Reading Part I

In the past few decades, the way we shop has changed dramatically. We used to buy our goods in traditional shops, on the high street or in department stores. Now, customers are increasingly buying online, where they can order whatever they want directly to their door with the click of a mouse. One in seven sales are now made online and studies suggest that by 2021, global online retail will reach an enormous US$4.8 trillion. As companies race to improve their internet shopping experience, the trend towards shopping online is predicted to continue.

​Business magazine: Environmental impact of online shopping – Reading Part II

But what is the impact of all this online shopping on the environment? You might think that online shopping is greener than in-store shopping. After all, an online store does not use the electricity that a traditional store might use and it doesn't require the customer to drive anywhere. Items are often delivered to several homes at once, so you would think the carbon savings must be significant. Take the typical home delivery round in the UK, for example. Supermarket drivers often do 120 deliveries on an 80-kilometre round, producing 20 kilograms of CO₂ in total. In contrast, a 21-kilometre drive to the store and back for one household would generate 24 times more CO₂!

​Business magazine: Environmental impact of online shopping – Reading Part III

However, the reality is slightly more complex than that. Many home deliveries fail the first time and the driver has to make a second or third attempt to deliver the purchase. Customers who choose speedy delivery or those who buy single items from different places also contribute towards increasing the carbon footprint.

​Business magazine: Environmental impact of online shopping – Reading Part IV

The carbon footprint also goes up if the customer chooses to return the item. A study in Germany showed that as many as one in three online purchases are returned. According to another study, merchandise worth nearly US$326 million is returned each year in the USA. Two billion kilograms of this ends up in landfill, leading to 13 tonnes of CO₂ being released. 

​Business magazine: Environmental impact of online shopping – Reading Part V

Clothing is one product that has high return rates. Unlike in a walk-in store, the online shopper can't try things on before buying. So, companies offer free returns to make it easier for shoppers to purchase the same item of clothing in different sizes and colours. Customers try them at home, keep one and return the rest of them. However, when clothes are returned, they are not always cleaned and put back for sale. This is because many companies have found it cheaper to simply throw away the returned items than to pay someone to sort the damaged goods from the unwanted ones. In these cases, the returned clothes, which might be in perfect condition, end up in landfills or burnt.

​Business magazine: Environmental impact of online shopping – Reading Part VI

When we take all these factors into consideration, we realise that online shopping isn't necessarily as green as people might think. That last kilometre to your door is costly, for companies and for the environment. There is some positive news, as various online retailers are starting to lower their carbon footprint by investing in electric delivery vehicles. However, the question of how to deal with returns efficiently and without waste is a challenge that many companies have not wanted to face. As online shoppers become aware of what companies are doing, and campaign groups demand urgent action in the face of the climate and ecological emergency, there is increasing pressure for companies to take responsibility for the environmental impact of their activities.

KEY VOCABULARY

​ผลกระทบ

an impact

กลุ่มรณรงค์

campaign group

ระบบนิเวศ

replacement from impact

ecological

รอยเท้าคาร์บอน

impact on environment

carbon footprint

ซื้อ

to purchase

ผู้ค้าปลีก

a retailer

ฝังกลบ

landfill

ขายปลีก

retail

Lesson Comprehension

Task I True or False

Multiple Choice

1. More sales are now made online than in shops.

• T

• F

Multiple Choice

2. It is predicted that more and more shopping will be done online in the future.

• T

• F

Multiple Choice

3. Online shopping uses less electricity than in-store shopping.

• T

• F

Multiple Choice

4. The carbon footprint of online shopping is made worse by failed deliveries, speedy delivery and returns.

• T

• F

Multiple Choice

5. Companies encourage customers to try clothes on at home.

• T

• F

Multiple Choice

6. Companies make sure returned clothes are repackaged and resold.

• T

• F

Multiple Choice

7. Most companies now use electric delivery vans.

• T

• F

Multiple Choice

8. Most companies have found environmentally-friendly solutions for the problem of returned goods.

• T

• F

Lesson Comprehension

Task II (Fill in the ___ Blank)

DISCUSSION

Question I

Do you shop online?

Question II

How can online shopping's environmental impact be lessened?

Question III

Do you think that technological advances have affected the way we interact socially?

Question IV

Thailand doesn't have it in their stores yet but, if you had to shop in person and could avoid a cashier, would you prefer to use "self check-out or have human interaction?

Question IV

What are your fears for the future as AI continues to take over, diseases become even more rampant, and there aren't enough humans to care for each other

Question V

How would you feel about meeting your future partner online as night clubs and underground spots become a thing of the past and VR relationships take over?

HOMEWORK

HW Question

1. How do you think the concept of "carbon foot-printing" has played out on the world stage in regards to population and birthrate reductions?

2. Brainstorm some points of what you know about Covid-19 chatter.

3. Besides the obvious chatter of what Covid-19 was about, do you think that there was more to Covid 19 than the fact that it was a disease and inform us of your theory (theories)?

FEEDBACK

Open Ended

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