Eco-friendly Ecommerce: 4 Steps You Can Take

Julie Starr • July 21, 2020



Running an ecommerce business can be greener than running a physical store – physical stores require a lot of energy to run compared to the low amount of energy needed to run online stores. However, the negative environmental impact left by online stores can still be high due to aspects such as delivery and packaging. If you’re interested in running an eco-friendly ecommerce business, here are some of the steps that you can take.

Choose green products

You should first assess the types of products that you’re selling. These could be products that you make yourself or they could be bought from suppliers – in either case, consider the manufacturing process behind them and the materials used to build them . If manufacturing creates a lot of emissions and the materials used are unsustainable/non-recyclable, you may want to make a change to your products.

If you make the products yourself, consider whether you can make the manufacturing process cleaner or whether you’re able to source greener raw materials to build the product with. If you buy your products from suppliers, consider whether you can switch to greener suppliers that are able to offer the same quality of product.

Use recyclable packaging

You should also consider the type of packaging that you use when delivering products to customers. Your packaging needs to protect the product from damage, but this doesn’t mean that you have to rely on non-recyclable plastic.

Consider filler options such as shredded tissue paper and corrugated corner protectors instead of relying on plastic bubble wrap and Styrofoam. Loose items can be kept in paper bags or small card boxes as opposed to plastic bags. If you do find that plastic is more efficient, make sure to use recyclable plastic and let customers know how they can recycle it.

Consider greener shipping options

The aspect of ecommerce that creates the most environmental damage is often shipping, however, by choosing the right delivery methods this environmental damage can be greatly reduced.

Many ecommerce businesses are reluctant to make changes in the fear that it will increase shipping costs, but you can often save money on International Shipping and save the planet at the same time. For instance, the likes of LCL shipping can be cheaper for many businesses while also being more eco-friendly.

Same-day and next-day delivery is often harder to make green. While many customers like the convenience of receiving a product the very next day, it can be worth promoting longer delivery options that are greener such as using an interstate truck instead of a plane. You may be able to reduce the delivery charge to encourage customers to use this option. Some companies even promote this option as ‘green delivery’ to make customers aware of the benefits.

Donate money to environmental causes

You may be able to offset any environmental damage that your company inflicts by pouring money into environmental causes such as paying to plant trees or donating money to recycling services. This is something that you can advertise to help attract customers – many modern consumers like to know that their purchase is having a positive impact on the world and it can be used as an extra selling point. You could even ask customers to donate extra money themselves alongside their purchase, giving customers an even more active role.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.