Jeff Bezos is the founder and chief executive of Amazon and he also happens to be the world’s richest man despite his divorce settlement. For good measure, he’s been accused of being a hypocrite because he preaches the protection of the planet and that Earth is the ‘best planet’ while, at the same time, this company is throwing away brand-new items into landfill in their millions.
The Times newspaper states that Amazon staff in France have been seen loading unsold toys, kitchen equipment and televisions into skips to be taken to landfill and incinerators. Unused consumer goods were traced to a warehouse where they go to a waste disposal centre and on to a landfill site. Figures obtained indicated that more than 3 million new items were destroyed in France in 2018 this way.
So Mr Bezos is accused of saying one thing and doing another. That makes him a hypocrite, on the face of it.
There is clearly little relationship between what Mr Bezos says and what he does. This kind of planet-wrecking behaviour is an appalling example of real and active environmental damage. The fact Amazon is getting away with it shows the right laws aren’t in place, so it’s time that government steps in to stop this kind of disgraceful behaviour and keep the worst excesses in check. Until then, perhaps it’s up to consumers to vote with their wallet.”Craig Bennett, chief executive of Friends of the Earth
It is indeed scandalous that perfectly good, brand-new items are being thrown away in their millions. It’s the height of destructive consumerism gone mad. Especially at this time when there is an emphasis on environmental issues. There is an emphasis on air pollution in the UK and how to reduce it. There are tentative and evolving links between air pollution and illnesses such as dementia and asthma in humans.
What has this got to do with the human-two-animal relationship? Well, when you chuck commercially produced items into landfill especially new items, they gradually breakdown and toxic substances can leach into the ground over many years which damages the environment which in turn damages the prospects for survival of animals living on the planet.
Over 7,000 Amazon employees wrote to the chief executive last month asking him to release a climate plan because they believe that the existing company proposals were inadequate. They cited the company’s work for oil and gas companies. In response the company said that its commitment to environmental issues was “unwavering”. No one wanted to comment on the disclosure that new items are being thrown away in such large quantities when asked by The Times newspaper.
Apparently, Amazon will argue that they partner with a number of charities working with non-profit organisations to distribute unsold goods to charities across the UK.
