Buying and Selling on OLX saved 8 Million Tons of Carbon Footprints

Every time one uses OLX, the environment benefits. Every time one sells on OLX, the life of that product gets extended ensuring more judicious use. Every time one buys on OLX, one less item gets produced, lowering carbon-di-oxide (CO2) emissions.

Just how much CO2 is one saving by using OLX, you might want to know?

In the last one year, about 15 million transactions across eleven categories have saved 8 Million tons of CO2 emissions. That is equivalent to Carbon footprint of 1.3 million kilograms of plastic bags we use for shopping.  It is also equivalent to half of the CO2 emitted by India’s Aviation Sector in the year 2013-14.

To measure the positive impact of buying and selling pre-owned goods, OLX India conducted its carbon footprint study, on the occasion of World Environment Day. The CO2 emission saved by OLX transactions increased from 3.3 Million tons in 2016 to 6.6 Million tons in 2017, and is measured at 8 Million tons in 2018.

The increase in carbon footprint is an outcome of the growing transactions and acceptability of trading pre-owned goods, on the platform across categories.   This, and more, has been revealed in the report done in conjunction with Chennai-based NGO, Environmentalist Foundation of India (EFI).  EFI is an award winning organisation working towards wildlife conservation and habitat restoration.

Carbon footprint is the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual, organization, or community.  For the calculation of carbon emission, all stages in the life-cycle of a product, from raw material procurement till it reaches the user were taken into account for eleven product categories on OLX. The categories of goods covered in the report include car, mobile, refrigerator, television, computer, laptop, sofa, tablet, camera, books and clothes. Several other key OLX product categories such as, sports equipment, musical instruments, fashion accessories, some furniture items, as well as real estate, and jobs were not included in this report. It can be presumed that with the inclusion of all OLX product categories, the CO2 saved would have been even higher.

Said Irwin Preet Singh Anand, COO, OLX India, “We are living in a society where we often take environment for granted. The impact of which could be seen in the unusual climatic changes we are witnessing in the country. It is our collective responsibility to take control of our environment and do our bit to reduce pollution. There is a real and simple opportunity available to everyone with OLX to get on track. Buying and selling pre-owned is an easy way in which we can counterbalance rising consumerism and impulse purchase of unwanted items. Using pre-owned allows us to reduce our carbon footprint, and leave a healthier planet for our children”

Said Arun Krishnamurthy, Founder, Environmentalist Foundation of India, “This year the World Environment Day is all the more special, as India is the host country of the global event.   It is important for us to become responsible citizens and make our personal contribution towards a sustainable environment. One good way is to encourage the use of pre-owned goods. The impact is evident from the carbon footprints saved from pre-owned goods on OLX. Shifting to pre- owned and making it commercially viable is a wonderful way of leading a sustainable lifestyle.”