How Amazon is drastically undercounting its carbon footprint

(Grist) This is how Amazon washes its hands of the climate impact of most of the things it sells: It simply decides to play by different rules than its peers. 

For example, for all the packs of Pampers parents grab off the shelf at Target, the big-box retailer tallies the emissions that go into making those diapers as part of its carbon footprint. And when customers order Samsung TVs on Target.com, the company tacks on not only the carbon that went into making them, but also the emissions that will end up in the atmosphere when people plug in and use them.

But when shoppers click “Buy Now” on those same products on Amazon, the nation’s largest online retailer doesn’t count those carbon emissions. Amazon takes responsibility for the full climate impact only of products with an Amazon brand label, which make up about 1 percent of its online sales.

Read more here.

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