Conscious consuming for the holidays: Try these alternatives to Amazon

Amazon. If you’re like us, you’ve got feelings. On the one hand, it’s so convenient. A few clicks and whatever you want is at your door in a day.

On the other hand, a lot goes on at Amazon that conscious consumers are not OK with, like its impact on local economies. Like its opposition to unionization by its employees. Like its massive CO2 emissions: 69 million metric tons in 2023, which is about what the nation of Hungary emits in a year.

Add it all up and you might decide it’s time to look for options. Unfortunately, they aren’t easy to find—which is why lot of people haven’t found them. One-fourth of Americans shop at Amazon at least once a week and half of Americans now have an Amazon Prime account.

But options are out there. Maybe they’re not as simple, cheap and fast as Amazon but they do exist. They sell what you need—and what you just plain want—and they do it without a moral compromise packed in bubble wrap. In 2021, Amazon generated enough plastic waste to cover the Earth in 800 layers, despite the fact that Amazon “would have no problem” switching to plastic-free packaging, according to former Amazon executive Rachel Johnson Greer. “It’s really a question of will.”

A lot of people find information like that to be ethically suffocating. So they’re exploring alternatives to Amazon. In our recent survey of CREDO Mobile members and their shopping habits, 96% of respondents said they consider themselves socially responsible consumers and 97% said they purchase from socially responsible companies. As for Amazon, 17% of our members said they never shop there, 26% said “sometimes and I feel bad about it” and around half said they use Amazon only sometimes or rarely.

More ethical “everything”

Amazon famously calls itself “the everything store.” But there are other ecommerce sites that offer a wide range of products and do it in an ethical and ecofriendly way. They usually pack with less plastic or with sustainable materials, offset their shipping emissions and focus on earth-conscious items and brands. Their prices might be a bit higher but they don’t inflict a large hidden cost on their workers, our planet and its people.

DoneGood has clothing, bags and totes, home accessories, kitchenware, jewelry, self-care and a lot more. The DoneGood team vets every brand to make sure it pays decent wages, empowers communities and has ecofriendly practices.

There is eBay, of course, where you can shrink your shopping footprint by purchasing secondhand. Also check out eBay Refurbished, which sells reconditioned products up to 50% off the list price, with warranties as good or better than the original warranties. And Etsy, the global marketplace that supports

independent creators of crafts, housewares, art, soap, planters, T-shirts and much more. In 2020, it generated almost $4 billion in income for small businesses.

Other sustainable, ethical alternatives to Amazon include:

• EarthHero: home, kitchen, cleaning, beauty, pets.
• Grove Collaborative: nontoxic, cruelty-free household supplies, personal care and wellness.
• Hive: household goods, beauty products and groceries.
• Made Trade: home goods, furniture, gifts and clothing.
• Package Free: home, beauty, kitchen.
• Ten Thousand Villages: fair trade gifts and accessories made by artisans around the world.
• Thrive Market: up to 30% off organic and non-GMO groceries.

Books not from Amazon

Local bookstores are what Amazon isn’t: a relaxing space to be around books and other people who enjoy them. And that’s why bookstores continue to thrive. In 2023, more than 200 new independent bookstores opened, while membership in the American Booksellers Association grew by 11%.

A lot of those bookstores now offer what Amazon does: delivery. If you have a bookstore in your town, there is a good chance it will bring books to your door.

If you want to shop online, there is a “neighborhood” bookstore on the internet: Bookshop.org, where you’ll find just about any book you can find at Amazon—and the community feeling that makes your local bookstore such a joy, albeit in virtual form.

Better still, Bookshop.org supports independent booksellers around the world. It knows local bookstores are vital hubs that foster culture, curiosity and a love of reading, and it’s committed to helping them. The site gives independent bookstores a platform to compete against Amazon, as every purchase at the site supports independent bookstores financially and helps them maintain their presence in local communities. Since 2020, Bookshop.org has raised more than $28 million for independent bookstores.

CREDO Mobile has partnered with Bookshop.org and you can visit our affiliate store if you’re looking for a shortcut to progressive books or books by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC authors. Make a purchase at the CREDO Mobile store and you’ll also generate donations for the progressive nonprofits we support. (We’ll earn a commission if you click through from our affiliate site and make a purchase at Bookshop.org.)

A phone company that connects with you

Every day, more people are choosing to do business with companies that share their values. They’re shopping local stores instead of Amazon. They’re opting for sustainable clothes instead of sweatshop fast-fashion. They’re buying reusable tumblers instead of drinks in plastic bottles. In fact, over 80% of consumers now say they prefer brands whose values align with their own.

Does this sound like you? Then join us. Switch to CREDO Mobile, the phone company that shares your progressive values.

You’ll get all you need from your mobile service: the nation’s top-rated network, competitive plans and great deals on new devices.

And you’ll get much more: a powerful way to support your values whenever you use your phone. Our unique donations program generates funding for progressive nonprofits working hard to make our planet a more free, fair and sustainable place. Since 1985, we’ve donated over $95 million to nonprofit groups like Earthjustice, Rainforest Action Network and Stand.earth. These donations cost our members nothing extra. But they mean everything to the groups that depend on us.