Look around within 2 feet of yourself. What do you see? Maybe a pen, paper, snack, electronic device, or jewellery? Well have you ever wondered how its raw materials managed to be manufactured, shipped, bought, and finally rest within a hand’s reach? Believe it or not, a lot of thinking has been put into planning just that.

Of course, it’s great for companies to keep rolling out more and more sustainable and eco-friendly options but will people buy them? One of the top reasons I can think of is customer convenience. Just how easy is it for a potential customer to not only come across and learn more about a product but to also purchase and bring it back home. Having adequate and easy-to-understand product information at the point of purchase is also key to ensuring that sustainable choices are more convenient to make. However on the business side, the higher the level of convenience, usually the longer and more complicated the supply chain and logistics. Of course, this leads to rising carbon footprints as the product is trekked all over the world. This is the trade-off that face most companies of sustainable goods.

Questions these companies face include the kind of purchasing venue (ie. One-stop shopping vs. local market, online vs. brick-and-mortar stores), resource management, and of course, waste management. Perfect models of convenience include McDonalds and stores like Forever 21 and H&M, big name brands that have managed to corner massive market mostly to due to customer convenience amongst other things. They too are realizing the importance of compensating their enormous carbon emissions and waste generation with sustainable initiatives and developmental programs.

It is also incredibly easy for the everyday person to say “sure! I would pick the more eco-friendly option even if I had to pay a bit more or go to a different store”. But the reality is that we, as humans, are a species engrained in habit. During the few minutes it takes to make a purchasing decision, convenience and overall benefit or utility of the sustainable product just has to be worth the price we pay for it. And companies realize this triple bottom line. We just got to be more creative and keep on working to find innovative solutions to all our needs!

Referenced from:

1) http://www.greenbiz.com/blog/2014/01/24/6-steps-more-sustainable-supply-chain

2) http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/living-off-grid-convenience-vs-sustainability.aspx