Buying on the internet has serious environmental advantages
Buying on the internet has serious advantages in terms of the environment. Indeed, the e-commerce model presents a positive assessment on all the environmental criteria studied.
Fevad publishes the results of a study on the environmental impact of online shopping carried out by Estia and Médiamétrie // NetRatings. This study makes it possible to measure the environmental effects of an online purchase compared to a traditional purchase, particularly in terms of CO2 emissions. The results are based on a survey specially carried out by Médiamétrie // NetRatings for the purposes of the study and to characterize the movements of Internet users in terms of consumption. This study was carried out with the support of ColiPoste and Kiala.
According to the results of the study, it appears that buying on the internet has serious advantages in terms of the environment. Indeed, the e-commerce model presents a positive assessment on all the environmental criteria studied.
Tens of thousands of kilometers not traveled
All the trips caused by more than 5 deliveries of products ordered on the Internet were analyzed and compared with the trips that would have been necessary to obtain the equivalent products in the traditional distribution circuit. This study was carried out upstream by Médiamétrie // NetRatings to find out the behavior of consumers in terms of Internet purchases and purchases in the traditional circuit. The concept of delivery retained for this study corresponds to the specific journey made, either by the carrier or by the customer, between the last place of deposit of the goods and the domicile of the end customer.
For the trips made by customers alone, the e-commerce model translates into a total “not traveled” distance of 53 km on all deliveries studied, which gives an average figure of 000 km saved per delivery . In addition, the share of trips made on foot is higher in the e-commerce model.
Almost 4 times less greenhouse gas emissions
By limiting travel, e-commerce helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are known to have a negative influence on climate change. For a “standard” parcel, the e-commerce model makes it possible to divide greenhouse gas emissions by a factor close to 4. In absolute value, the average CO2 saving achieved on travel amounts to 2,670 kg eq. CO2 per delivery. On the scale of the 290 million deliveries made each year by ColiPoste and Kiala, this represents a potential reduction of 768 tonnes of CO000.
This impressive figure corresponds to the amount of carbon that a forest of 126 hectares could store during its annual growth. For example, this area is equivalent to 000 times that of the forest of Fontainebleau or 4,5 times that of Rambouillet.
Consumption of non-renewable resources reduced by 4,5
For an identical number of actual deliveries, the e-commerce model allows the consumption of non-renewable resources linked to travel to be divided by 4,5. Compared to all the deliveries made by ColiPoste and Kiala in one year, the saving in non-renewable resources exceeds 4 Gigawatt hours.
This primary energy corresponds to the annual heating needs of a French department such as Charente Maritime.
339 years of healthy life saved each year
Compared to an identical number of actual deliveries, the e-commerce model allows the impact on human health to be divided by 2,81. On the scale of all deliveries made by ColiPoste and Kiala in one year, the e-commerce model makes it possible to “save” the equivalent of 339 years of healthy life [DALY].
The study also shows that using the e-commerce model also frees up time. Thus, each purchase translates on average into a gain of more than 20 minutes on trips alone (this calculation does not take into account the time spent in the shops to make the purchases, nor the connection time).
Better respect for biodiversity
Compared to an identical number of actual deliveries, the e-commerce model allows the damage caused to ecosystems to be divided by 2,97. By minimizing pollutant emissions, reducing travel also promotes the preservation of biodiversity.
E-commerce: a way to get closer to the “factor 4” objective set out in the Grenelle de l'Environnement
According to the study, the environmental impacts related to internet connection time and possible transport packaging remain completely negligible compared to the environmental benefits resulting from reduced travel (on average less than 0,150 kg CO2 eq. delivery).
In general, the study shows that this new mode of purchase, which results in a reorganization of travel for individuals, constitutes a serious opportunity to get closer to the “factor 4” objective, consisting of dividing by four our greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
The development and optimization of the e-commerce model could thus constitute one of the ways of achieving the objectives of the 2-watt society, which "allows a balance between the industrialized countries and the developing countries and thus guarantees to all a "good" standard of living ".
Methodology of the study:
This study is based on data from the Médiamétrie // NetRatings survey with regard to the travel of individuals. Online study conducted with 2056 e-shoppers aged 18 and over from the MegaPanel of Mediametrie // NetRatings in October 2008 allowing to document 5 deliveries.
For the supply of shops or postal agencies, the transport data was provided respectively by the MAZET Group, by ColiPoste and by Kiala, depending on the circuits analyzed.
CO2 emissions were estimated using the Bilan Carbone® and Estia-VIA® methods.
The calculation of other environmental impacts (resources, human health and quality of ecosystems) was carried out using the Estia-Via® method.
About Fevad
The Federation of e-commerce and distance selling, created in 1957, today brings together more than 420 companies and nearly 700 websites, including the 15 most visited French e-commerce sites (Source: ranking of Médiamétrie // NetRatings audience). It is the representative organization of the electronic commerce and distance selling sector. The mission of Fevad is in particular to collect and disseminate information allowing the improvement of knowledge of the sector and to act in favor of the sustainable and ethical development of distance selling and electronic commerce in France.
About Estia
Founded in 1998, Estia aims to promote innovation and the implementation of the principles of sustainable development in the built environment.
Emanating from the Federal Polytechnic School of Lausanne, the company aims to be an interface between the world of research and professional circles. Active in the fields of architecture and transport, Estia performs technical analyzes to quantify and, to the extent possible, reduce the consumption of resources and environmental impacts.
About Médiamétrie // NetRatings
Médiamétrie // NetRatings is the company created and jointly owned by Médiamétrie and The Nielsen Company. Médiamétrie // NetRatings develops and markets the benchmark Internet audience measurement in France, and also carries out, on behalf of Fevad, the annual Barometer on the “multichannel” purchasing behavior of Internet users.
Press contact: Nathalie Laîné - 01 42 56 38 86 - nlaine@fevad.com
Source: http://www.fevad.com/index.php?option=c ... Itemid=872
ps: if in addition, we purchases ecological products remotely, then the "benefit" for the environment is doubled!
