While many see climate change as a political topic, the truth is that it affects everybody. Businesses that wish to sell and operate in the future need a liveable planet on which to do so. Many need a sustainable supply of natural resources to keep their business model viable. Sustainability initiatives shouldn’t be considered a marketing choice, but rather a survival one.
eBay understands the challenge of becoming a green company. The e-commerce giant has taken on a wide variety of initiatives to make the world a more habitable place. For example, eBay has committed to ensuring its offices and data centers use 100% renewable energy by 2025. In 2020, they were 74% of the way there. At their San Jose headquarters, eBay diverts 97.5% of waste from entering landfills. That’s almost 555 tons of waste!
The impact of eBay’s green business practices goes beyond the office. Their entire business model relies on recommerce, or the act of selling used goods to new consumers. Reselling goods prevents items from a premature end in a landfill and reduces the demand for new goods. In 2020, recommerce of apparel and electronics on eBay conserved 720,000 metric tons of carbon emissions.
