Amazon shareholders rejected a proposal that would have mandated that the company report on how much plastic it used, the plusses of reducing plastic use and the minuses of continuing its current habits. This was just one of 15 environmental or social-justice proposals that shareholders voted down at the company’s annual meeting Wednesday. The plastics proposal followed on the heels of an Oceana report finding that Amazon’s plastic packaging waste had risen by 29 percent between 2019 and 2020, from 465 to 599 million pounds.
Amazon’s plastic packaging generates a large amount of waste, which destroys our environment. According to Seattle sources, Amazon should be at the forefront of tackling the plastic crisis facing our planet. Oceana’s field representative in Washington Sara Holzknecht in an Oceana press release in support of the proposal said that “Washington’s vibrant economy – and Amazon’s global logistics – rely on our coastal waters; and also she said that Amazon needs to step up and support the effort to save the world’s oceans,” According to Oceana, the type of plastic used by Amazon – plastic film – is one of the most deadly to marine life. Furthermore 55 percent of sea birds, 70 percent of marine mammals and 100 percent of sea turtles have either eaten or gotten stuck in plastic waste.
But Amazon says it is already working to reduce the use of plastics and is “committed to protecting the planet” and therefore that the statistics provided by oceana are inaccurate. Amazon also said it was working to reduce plastic waste by pledging to package all Alexa and other tech products in 100 percent recyclable plastic by 2023. It also started a “Frustration-Free Packaging” program to offer financial incentives to manufacturers that use recyclable plastic packaging and is working to design “right-sized boxes” so that no extra plastic needs to be used to cushion items.
Finally, “Regardless if the resolution is successful, ‘it’s incredibly important to keep the conversation and awareness going,’ said Sarah Holzknecht, Oceana’s Washington field representative. It is good that advocates continue to bring attention to plastics pollution. It is good that Amazon understands that more ought to be done.
Resource : https://www.ecowatch.com/amazon-shareholders-environmental-proposals.html
Subodha Charuni
2nd year
Department Of Sociology
University Of Peradeniya