Shopping Green on Ebay
Posted by Greenbee on October 22, 2009
A person might look at their kids old Barney lunch box and think since their son is now into Xbox and would beat up any images of Barney on first site, it is probably a good time to toss out the Barney lunch box. Today that is no longer the case as there is an alternative instead of adding the item to the land fill. What you might consider trash others consider a treasure.
It is silly to think that one can shop and be helping the environment but it is true. Shopping on Sites such as Ebay.com or any other Auction site is a form of recycling. Items that might have once been tossed out are now finding new homes through the Internet. Many of us either don’t wish to bother with a yard sale or due to our residence are unable to have a yard sale. Now with the power of the Internet a site has given us our very own virtual yard sale for all to enjoy.
Ebay has helped increase the amount of items being recycled and given everyday people the ability to locate vast items we never thought existed anymore. People have been able to buy other people’s unwanted items for great bargains. Trying to recapture your youth or just a collector of a particular item, Ebay has been a gold mine to hundreds of thousands of people.
A few tips to making Ebay buying and selling a greener one.
Sellers:
- Try reusing old boxes instead of buying new ones for each item you sell. This will reduce your cost and help recycle boxes. You can always tape over old postage labels. Many stores will gladly let you have their left over stock boxes if you just ask.
- When packing items and you need some padded protection try using old newspapers or grocery bags. You can even put a “Recycle Me Please” notice on or inside the box so the buyer might get that green bug too.
- Allow for Local Pickup: If the buyer is not too far you can allow them the option to pick the item up from you. If you are worried about them coming to your home then perhaps chose a public place to deliver the items. If you just don’t want anything to do with strangers then stick with postal deliveries as safety and stress is most important.
Buyers:
- The main thing is when you get your Ebay items in the mail try to recycle the material it was packed in and with! Then enjoy your purchase!
To Buyers and Sellers: As much as Ebay is a huge help to the environment make sure that anything sold or bought are not prohibited or recalled. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is cracking down with federal agencies and making sure to check for items being sold that has been recalled and making it a crime to sell such items, so always check any item especially children items for current and past recall notices.
Ebay even has a Green Team for more information on being more earth friendly in buying, selling, and everything we do each day. Check it out at EbayGreenTeam.com
