5 Steps to Transform your Online Ordering Habits

Become a responsible purchaser today!

If you think it’s a bit harsh to use the word ‘addiction’ with the phrase ‘online ordering’, then I suggest you brace yourself.

As a recovering addict myself, I can see some of the same patterns of dependence and harmful levels of habit-forming behavior when it comes to ordering stuff online.

Consumerism is the preoccupation of society with the acquisition of consumer goods—and it is a serious problem for the human race as a whole, and the planet! It not only negatively affects our psychological well-being, but it is also one of the leading causes of the pollution driving our climate change.

Informing and Motivating Yourself for Change

According to a 2015 study, the production and use of household goods and services was responsible for 60 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. And a typical American’s yearly carbon emissions are five times that of the world’s average person. Whoa.

Don’t beat yourself up though! Current-day society is designed to specifically create a nearly irresistible desire to buy more. But we as consumers also have the power to disrupt the supply and demand chain starting with making more responsible purchasing decisions.

I’m going to use Amazon as my prime (pun intended) example.

If you enter “How is Amazon bad for the environment?” into a search engine, it will give you enough reading material to make your head spin.

The top result that came back when I did just that was an article written by USA Today:

"Amazon’s carbon footprint is staggering. . . In 2018, Amazon emitted 44.4 million metric tons of carbon dioxide — greater than the carbon footprint of Switzerland.” – USA Today

I know what you’re thinking:

“I thought this blog was just going to tell me how to stop ordering everything from rubber bands to household appliances on a whim from Amazon.” – My interpretation of the reader’s thoughts

And I am. So, let’s get to it.

5 Action Steps You Can Take Today to Transform Your Online Ordering Habits

1. Uninstall the Amazon shopping app from your phone
2. Unlink your credit cards from your online account
3. Make a list of the things you regularly buy on Amazon
4. Find eco-friendly sources for your needs
5. Share the love

Going cold turkey can be the best approach when breaking a life-threatening addiction. But breaking an online ordering habit hasn’t quite hit mainstream as the serious issue it is yet.

Like breaking any bad habit, it’s best to have a plan to support your decision that includes new positive habits in its place. Here are 5 steps to take when you are ready to transform your online-ordering habits (away from Amazon and towards eco-minded brands):

1. Uninstall the Amazon app from your phone, iPad, laptop, etc. Sometimes all we need is a deterrent to begin changing our behavior. I actually deleted the Amazon app from my phone a couple years before even thinking about how I was going to help save the planet. By deleting the app, I had to take a few extra steps to order anything from Amazon. By slowing down, I created a deliberate awareness of my shopping behavior.

(Note: Complete step 1 before moving forward. Like right now. Settings: Apps: etc.)

2. Unlink your Amazon credit card from your account. The harder you make it for yourself to do something, the more likely you are not to do it. Prime example: Over 90% of my diet is fruits, grains and veggies while 10% is just “other stuff”. And I LOVE sugar—so I don’t keep it in the house. That means when I want something sweet (aka with refined sugar), I have to walk to the store to get it. It is a HUGE deterrent. But it keeps my 90%/10% diet in check!

You may need to take it a step further and cut up your credit card. Or completely commit and close your Amazon credit card account altogether like I did. When the phone rep was reading from her script and asked me for the reason why I was closing my account, I said:

“Because I’m really into environmental sustainability and the health of our planet and I can no longer support a company like Amazon that knowingly destroys it."

This was followed by the dead silence which was then followed by stuttering. I’m pretty sure their script didn’t have a rebuttal for that one.

ALERT! If you’ve successfully completed (or even read through) steps 1 and 2 above, then you have already taken a GIGANTIC step towards impacting the health of our planet. This is no exaggeration. By creating a couple silly deterrents to curb your online ordering habits, you’ve created an awareness around what you are purchasing, who it is from and how you are getting it. Time to pat yourself on the back…as you bravely move to the next step:

3. Make a list of all the products you buy on a regular basic from Amazon. This is a fun one! I have to say when I went through my Amazon purchase history, it was as painful as doing the personal inventory I did of my life during the early stages of my addiction recovery.

Most of what I purchased I didn’t really need. And of the things that were essentials for me (think shampoo, toothpaste, compost bags and batteries), I could have purchased via a 10-minute walk from my house. Or from an eco-minded brand online (more on that later!).

By assessing your current shopping habits and making a list of everything you regularly purchase, you are tapping into your conscious thinking around your decisions and empowering yourself with the motivation you need to make a change. This will help you reconsider what you actually need vs want and where to start purchasing these things in a more planet-friendly manner moving forward.

4. Find your go-to resources/businesses to make your purchases. While it could take a considerable amount of time (it took me months!) to find alternative options and places to purchase your necessities AND in an equally convenient matter, no worries—I got you!

One of my goals with California Minimalist and original driving motivations was to share my experiences, and research, with as many people as possible and pave a path for everyone to become an eco-warrior.

You can start with my top go-to for all the essentials:

EarthHero (affiliate link): an eco-friendly online marketplace with a goal to make buying responsibly second-nature. All of the products on their website are from brands they’ve partnered with that are also taking the right steps to help create a more sustainable future. The variety of products offered on EarthHero (affiliate link) not only can replace most of the items you are already currently buying on Amazon, but they are products that are sourced, manufactured, and shipped in a way that protects our planet’s future.

5. Tell a friend. Ok, this step isn’t really necessary to transform your ownonline ordering habits. But it is a way to pay it forward. If you found a way to mend your own mental health and the health of the environment (which you have!!), wouldn’t you want to share that knowledge and plan with everyone you know?!

Congratulations! If you made it to the end of this blog, then you are fully equipped to take action today towards being a part of the team. Please feel free to reach out if you need more motivation and empowering energy to transform your online shopping habits into feel-good/planet-friendly action.