Online ordering, garbage/pollution

[shootingstar]

Online ordering is better re carbon footprint reduction except for the amount of boxes/packaging to send individual items to customers.  Our bldg. conceriege is surrounded by boxes for residents to pick up. It constantly piles up. It was never like this a decade ago. Place was never constructed with big enough storage closet for delivered pkgs. 

He ordered 2 bottles of body lotion for me as part of a gift...they were individually wrapped each and sent to me individually in separate boxes double the size of the plastic bottle with a ton of clean crumpled paper padding. Whereas, if I had biked over to the store, it would have been less pkging garbage.  Mail-order happened 'cause national chain could only fill order later at special price after they closed the sale.

In Vancovuer building, the bags of compostable garbage is mixed in with non-compostable bags, 'cause condo board didn't want separate open containers that would attract rats.  Calgary building, we don't have such a problem, since we have closed compostable big container and  blg.'s private waste recycling company, come by at least weekly.

What gets me, is the laziness of some people where clearly a person threw 1 bag of wrong type of garbage into wrong recycling collective container. It's not just a tiny amount of wrong garbage in wrong place.

 

[JerrySTL ★]

When ordering from Amazon, I usually select the less packages option. It can take a day or two longer, but I like the idea of fewer boxes. Sometimes Amazon will put an item in a box twice the size needed. Our city recycles cardboard, but I'm not sure that it's actually recycled since the Chinese tighten up their requirements for recycling materials. (I'd mention why but don't want to run foul of the no politics decree.)

[Bikeguy]

46 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Our bldg. conceriege is surrounded by boxes for residents to pick up. It constantly piles up.

1.5 Million Packages a Day: The Internet Brings Chaos to N.Y. Streets    And this was in 2019...

 

[shootingstar]

47 minutes ago, Bikeguy said:

1.5 Million Packages a Day: The Internet Brings Chaos to N.Y. Streets    And this was in 2019...

 

Article mentions that you linked, gives examples of problems in condo bldgs.  VAncovuer bldg. receives 150-200 pkgs (for those that are too big to stuff into our individual mail letter box) per day for 500 condo units. This figure was in late 2019.

I already have alot of physical assets...in 2 different cities. I honestly question what other physical assets I need at this point in my life that would result in frequent online orders and deliveries per month. Until I get frail, I have time to go shopping in person most of the time. My need /purchase for  new fashion clothing has literally been zero in the last 12 months. Next purchase will be socks, running shoes and underwear.    Even during covid, I have masked up and gone grocery shopping, to pharmacy, bike shop and major dept. store (about 5 times in total since Mar.) I just choose times where the customer traffic tends to be lower....and often it is low already. 

Of course, I live in city areas, where already living within 15 min. walk to stores and services...in different directions. 

 

[maddmaxx ★]

It's difficult to order my parts from ShenZhen and Hong Kong in person.  Just sayn

[shootingstar]

9 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

It's difficult to order my parts from ShenZhen and Hong Kong in person.  Just sayn

You're probably not ordering from China direct every month.

Sure, everyone has different purchasing needs.  I just know my needs... the specialized needs..I could see myself ordering art supplies online in future ...but only if I am still living in a city that lacks sufficient choice.  Right now, I have an oversupply of new art supplies...in both cities.

I have occasionally literally made small purchases in Vancouver to bring back to prairie city because it's cheaper and convenient..ie. small sewing supplies. ie. several meters of garment elastic band at the right width ..for masks when the elastic wears out. Stuff like that would require me to go to suburbs at a textile store in prairie city which is not good use of my time..especially in winter. (I can't imagine the cost firing up the car engine just to spend $6.00 of elastic.) Nor is it cost-effective to order online ...for something that's normally very low-cost and very light. 

[Dirtyhip]

3 hours ago, shootingstar said:

I already have alot of physical assets...in 2 different cities. I honestly question what other physical assets I need at this point in my life that would result in frequent online orders and deliveries per month. Until I get frail, I have time to go shopping in person most of the time. My need /purchase for  new fashion clothing has literally been zero in the last 12 months. Next purchase will be socks, running shoes and underwear.    Even during covid, I have masked up and gone grocery shopping, to pharmacy, bike shop and major dept. store (about 5 times in total since Mar.) I just choose times where the customer traffic tends to be lower....and often it is low already.

What kind of underwear are you buying? 

[maddmaxx ★]

3 hours ago, shootingstar said:

You're probably not ordering from China direct every month.

Sure, everyone has different purchasing needs.  I just know my needs... the specialized needs..I could see myself ordering art supplies online in future ...but only if I am still living in a city that lacks sufficient choice.  Right now, I have an oversupply of new art supplies...in both cities.

I have occasionally literally made small purchases in Vancouver to bring back to prairie city because it's cheaper and convenient..ie. small sewing supplies. ie. several meters of garment elastic band at the right width ..for masks when the elastic wears out. Stuff like that would require me to go to suburbs at a textile store in prairie city which is not good use of my time..especially in winter. (I can't imagine the cost firing up the car engine just to spend $6.00 of elastic.) Nor is it cost-effective to order online ...for something that's normally very low-cost and very light. 

Often I am.  Remember I don't live in a city.  Today I made a 120 mile round trip for a part for the race car.  I'd normally just order it online but I also wanted to meet someone at the store.

[shootingstar]

1 hour ago, Dirtyhip said:

What kind of underwear are you buying? 

I got enough so far but will run out new ones to rotate..  It's a pain in the ass (no pun) to find new practical briefs (but not ugly nor lacy which is usually too itchy), for small lady bums at pricing that's reasonable and elastic areas that don't degrade fast in washing machine.  I'm not a child so I can't got there..for sizing. Child's garment cut of anything...is not cut for mature curves of a woman..even for a small woman.

A huge part of me refuses to pay $10.00 for 1 small brief...bikini cut. The amount of fabric material required for my size is often 25% - 50% less than average larger sizes. Usually brief designs with lots of material means you can see the whole panty waistline above my jeans waistband,..which means the panty is too big for my bum! And I don't even wear low-cut/hipline jeans.

x-small and small sizes in underwear have become a whole lot larger compared to 20 yrs. ago.

gettin' off topic..back to garbage...

[Further]

Mrs. Further orders a lot of crap from Amazon

Further burns a lot of boxes on occasional Saturday mornings  

[shootingstar]

31 minutes ago, Further said:

Mrs. Further orders a lot of crap from Amazon

Further burns a lot of boxes on occasional Saturday mornings  

Maybe it's an extension of her shopping habits at mortar 'n brick stores in past for a long time. It just becomes more obvious with boxes and pkgs. delivered..? 

I'm finding the covid restrictions has given me far less appetite to buy stuff outside of food. If I visit a non-food store, it's because I really do need to look and buy that needed thing. It's hard for me to think of shopping on Amazon because I have to actively search for an item type. That turns me off if I know I can walk into a store.  

Keep in mind...as a former librarian (for adults in professions/industry sectors), I was reviewing newly published books for possible purchase, by using a hard copy catalogue, but rarely wasting time trolling through publisher sites. If one is paid in a job to actively evaluate and search for many products for others, for sure I couldn't waste time clicking endlessly. I was making budget decisions when also doing this and consulting key clients.  I needed to SKIM, jump across different subject categories. I needed to bookmark, sometimes make notes.  25 years ago, the online databases offered by publishers were already there.  However  I had no interest in being bombarded with online press releases from multiple publishers, ie. a fire hose of many online emails when placed on group email lists.   Nor could I be bothered to go to individual publisher sites to see their new release titles..just too painful.  I needed to also visually be reminded of existing, recent titles in addition to newly published titles to make an informed decision. Clicking through individual links just to skim book /content summaries is time consuming..

My whole career over past 30 years, includes with increased % of work of searching for items (content, now 100% digital) only digital as well as indexing/tagging documents earlier in my career.  So the whole notion of searching online products to make purchases /provide to others, isn't a new thing to me at all...the library world STARTED this concept, not Amazon.  I'm abit turned  off for evaluating physical things online, where I will be spending money but not sure of the right size, texture, quality, fit, etc. and then dealing with returns/refunds.  

[Further]

37 minutes ago, shootingstar said:

Maybe it's an extension of her shopping habits at mortar 'n brick stores in past for a long time. It just becomes more obvious with boxes and pkgs. delivered..? 

I think being stuck at home and bored has something to with it.

None of the crap is expensive, but it is a rare day that there isn't a box on the porch when I get home.

And the boxes are way oversized for the contents 

HTF can Amazon ship a jar of salsa cheaper than Walmart can sell it in the store ?   

[Dirtyhip]

2 hours ago, shootingstar said:

I got enough so far but will run out new ones to rotate..  It's a pain in the ass (no pun) to find new practical briefs (but not ugly nor lacy which is usually too itchy), for small lady bums at pricing that's reasonable and elastic areas that don't degrade fast in washing machine.  I'm not a child so I can't got there..for sizing. Child's garment cut of anything...is not cut for mature curves of a woman..even for a small woman.

A huge part of me refuses to pay $10.00 for 1 small brief...bikini cut. The amount of fabric material required for my size is often 25% - 50% less than average larger sizes. Usually brief designs with lots of material means you can see the whole panty waistline above my jeans waistband,..which means the panty is too big for my bum! And I don't even wear low-cut/hipline jeans.

x-small and small sizes in underwear have become a whole lot larger compared to 20 yrs. ago.

gettin' off topic..back to garbage...

I need new bras.  Why are they so expensive?  I love VS stuff, but my bank account hates me shopping there.

[petitepedal ★]

3 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

need new bras

Me too ....but I gotta go try them on..plan to order a cheapie front clasp to wear for a few weeks after my surgery...

I order on line now and then..certainly way more than before covid...I do not like ordering clothes on line but...sometimes you just have to.

[shootingstar]

Just now, Dirtyhip said:

I need new bras.  Why are they so expensive?  I love VS stuff, but my bank account hates me shopping there.

Rip-off. To stroke our egos. I went into VS once...and then walked out shortly. Part of me is tired of sifting through multi-coloured bras (which would show through light coloured clothing/padded bras/bras that flatten me totally (do I really need that? ) or looking at lacy/itchy stuff. Usually I zoom in on only 1 small rack or 1 drawer of lingerie..out of the whole store of lingerie offerings.  The other stuff doesn't even fit me, never mind my colour preferences (black, dark blue, beige/creme or tan coloured). Sure, fluorsecent yellow, orange is so practical....maybe for panties.

[shootingstar]

23 minutes ago, petitepedal said:

Me too ....but I gotta go try them on..plan to order a cheapie front clasp to wear for a few weeks after my surgery...

I order on line now and then..certainly way more than before covid...I do not like ordering clothes on line but...sometimes you just have to.

Hope you find the cheapie to deal with post-surgery situation. It might take browsing via 3-5 different stores.

[shootingstar]

45 minutes ago, Further said:

I think being stuck at home and bored has something to with it.

None of the crap is expensive, but it is a rare day that there isn't a box on the porch when I get home.

And the boxes are way oversized for the contents 

HTF can Amazon ship a jar of salsa cheaper than Walmart can sell it in the store ?   

Hope she has another activity that interests her. She has alot to offer.  She would have to find it herself.. I'm probably not "normal" since I have such low needs/appetite for ordering online or buying much non-food stuff now. Ask her, what would she do if she were me....clothing, bikes and furniture in..2 cities( or provinces).  This is why I've lost alot of consumer appetite.  However, I  have enough useful, classic clothing to wear for next few years and inspire me not to gain weight.