eCommerce with Sustainability in Mind

Sustainability has moved from being a buzzword to a critical aspect of business operations. As the eCommerce industry continues to grow, so does its environmental impact. However, through thoughtful implementation of technology, we can significantly reduce this footprint. Here, we'll explore how eCommerce can be more sustainable through innovative technological solutions, particularly focusing on the role of Serverless infrastructure and renewable energy.

The Environmental Impact of eCommerce

Common Issues:

• ‍Shipping: Transporting goods, often in half-empty boxes, contributes to carbon emissions.‍
• High Return Rates: Returning products increases transportation needs, leading to further environmental strain.‍
• Energy-Intensive Data Centers: Traditional data centers are significant energy consumers, using vast amounts of electricity to power and cool servers.

The Role of Vendors

The discussion around sustainability in eCommerce often centers on what merchants can do. However, it’s crucial to consider the role of technology vendors in offering solutions that help businesses operate more sustainably.

Brink Commerce: Built with Sustainability in Mind

When developing the Brink Commerce API, sustainability was a core principle. Here’s how we integrate sustainability into our technology.

1. Serverless Infrastructure

• ‍Dynamic Resource Allocation: Unlike traditional servers, which remain powered on and need constant cooling regardless of demand, our Serverless infrastructure allocates machine resources on demand. This means:‍
• High Efficiency: Our customers utilize around 99% of their allocated capacity, compared to about 80% for other top providers.‍
• Scalable: The infrastructure scales up or down within milliseconds, ensuring that resources are only used when needed.‍
• Reduced Carbon Footprint: Statistics show that Serverless setups can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90% compared to the enterprise average. This is a substantial impact that benefits both the planet and your margins.

2. Powered by Renewable Energy

• ‍Commitment to Green Energy: Brink Commerce API is powered by 85% renewable energy, with a goal of reaching 100% by 2025.‍
• Benefits to eCommerce Businesses: By choosing a platform powered by renewable energy, you contribute to reducing the overall carbon footprint of your operations, aligning your business with sustainability goals.

3. Minimizing Resource Wastage

• ‍Efficient Resource Use: Our customers use 99% of their allotted capacity, minimizing waste. This high level of efficiency means fewer resources are wasted, leading to a more sustainable eCommerce environment.
• ‍Automatic Capacity Scaling: The platform automatically adjusts capacity based on real-time demand, preventing the over-allocation of resources.

4. A Smaller Carbon Footprint

• ‍88% Smaller Footprint: Brink Commerce API has an 88% smaller carbon footprint compared to the industry baseline. This is a direct result of using Serverless infrastructure and renewable energy sources.

5. Emissions Saved by Using AWS

Through our partnership with AWS and our commitment to using efficient, sustainable infrastructure, we have saved 26.602 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2e) in carbon emissions since 2021. By just using smarter and more modern technology. To put this into perspective, this is equivalent to:

• The annual carbon emissions of nearly 6 passenger vehicles.
• The amount of CO2 absorbed by 32.6 acres of U.S. forests in one year.

Conclusion: Moving the Industry Forward

While no single technology we have today can solve the climate crisis, implementing sustainable solutions like serverless infrastructure using renewable energy can significantly reduce eCommerce's environmental impact. At Brink Commerce, we are proud to contribute to a more sustainable future and hope to inspire others in the industry to follow suit.

If you’re interested in learning more about how you can build a more sustainable eCommerce business, we’d love to talk. Together, we can make a positive impact on the planet.

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