The Carbon Footprint of Shipping Essential Oils
Every order has a carbon footprint. Here is an honest look at what contributes to it and what we are doing to reduce it.
The carbon footprint of an e-commerce order includes the production of the product, the packaging, the transport from producer to warehouse, and the last-mile delivery to the customer. For essential oils, the production and sourcing footprint is often larger than the shipping footprint, but both matter.
Last-mile delivery
Last-mile delivery, the final leg from a distribution centre to the customer's door, is the most carbon-intensive part of the e-commerce supply chain on a per-kilometre basis. In Australia, most last-mile delivery is by road, using diesel vehicles. The carbon intensity of this delivery is approximately 0.1-0.2 kg CO2 per kilometre, depending on the vehicle and load.
Packaging weight
Heavier packaging means more fuel consumed in transport. Glass bottles are heavier than plastic, which is a genuine trade-off. A 30ml amber glass bottle weighs approximately 40-50 grams empty. The same volume in PET plastic would weigh approximately 10-15 grams. Over thousands of shipments, this difference is meaningful.
What we do
We use the minimum packaging necessary to protect the product in transit. We use recycled cardboard and paper void fill rather than foam or plastic bubble wrap. We are evaluating lighter glass formulations for future packaging. We offset a portion of our shipping emissions through our tree planting program, with the acknowledgement that this is a partial measure, not a complete solution.