Amazon has made life incredibly convenient for us. We can receive whatever we need at our doorstep with just a few clicks. But unfortunately, one of the world's biggest companies is not doing enough for the planet.

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According to Amazon's own reports, despite its pledges to reduce emissions, it has not made significant reductions in recent years. In fact, its self-reported emissions increased by almost 40% in 2022 compared to 2019 levels.

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Amazon also abandoned its pledge to make 50% of its deliveries carbon neutral by 2030 and was removed from a U.N.-backed watchdog's list of climate-conscious companies.

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Given its inadequate progress and questionable practices, it is crucial for us to explore alternatives to Amazon and support companies that are working towards a more sustainable future.

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Here's a list of Climate Neutral Certified companies that can act as Amazon alternatives:

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Preserve

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Check out Preserve for sustainable personal care and home care essentials. Preserve transforms yogurt cups into toothbrushes and take-out containers into tableware.

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Preserve is on its way to becoming more sustainable by using recycled paperboard packaging, purchasing renewable office electricity, and researching carbon neutral or carbon negative resins.

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It also collaborates with suppliers to reduce their environmental footprint, develop sustainable materials, minimize the impact of shipping, and increase the use of renewable energy sources in manufacturing.

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Thrive Market

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Thrive Market, a B Corp and Plastic Neutral certified marketplace, is a great Amazon alternative for your grocery and gourmet needs. It sells top-selling, organic brands at wholesale prices.

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Thrive Market is taking several planet-friendly initiatives to reduce emissions, promote sustainability, and support regenerative agriculture and organic sourcing. It has also committed to a significant reduction in emissions and is working with suppliers to set science-aligned targets by 2027, increasing investment in regenerative agriculture and organic sourcing and implementing transportation management tools to reduce freight shipments.

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Bookshop.org

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Bookshop.org, another B Corp-certified business, connects readers with independent booksellers worldwide. It dedicates over 80% of its profit margin to independent bookstores and has committed to not selling the company to Amazon or any major U.S. retailer.

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It has already implemented initiatives to reduce emissions from home office equipment, staff commuting, and purchased electricity/natural gas use. Currently, it is working on reducing shipping miles by consolidating orders and using ground transportation for business travel.

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EarthHero

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EarthHero aims to make sustainable shopping accessible to all consumers and offers a wide range of products, ranging from audio and tech to sports and outdoors. It also has the option to shop by values. Looking for a vegan, women-owned, zero-waste brand? EarthHero will do the legwork for you.

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To reduce its impact on the planet, EarthHero is implementing a low-carbon sourcing/purchasing policy, reducing emissions from purchased goods and electricity, and addressing issues such as packaging waste, business travel, customer returns, and food waste at its offices and warehouses.

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Simple Switch

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Simple Switch is a marketplace of brands that incorporate sustainability into their business practices. You can find anything from toilet paper to a wedding dress on their platform. Similar to EarthHero, it also has the option to filter brands and products by environmental or social impact values, acting as a great alternative to Amazon.

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Simple Switch is reducing its environmental impact by transitioning at least 50% of its current software and servers to a verified lower-carbon option. It is also working with manufacturers to install onsite renewable energy sources, reducing waste and petroleum products from its product offering and upstream manufacturing processes, minimizing plastic packaging and overall corporate waste.

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You can also access over 400 sustainable brands through the Commons app.