Amazon is full of deals, but those deals come at a big cost to people and the planet. So, before you click on that item that sounds like a steal, check out Green America's 10 reasons to not shop Amazon. 

Don’t shop Amazon because it... 

1. Exploits workers and fights unions. Amazon has a long history of opposing unionization.   The National Labor Relations Board is investigating 343 charges related to anti-union activities by Amazon, its subsidiaries and direct contractors. During the unionization drive at a warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, NBC News reports: “Amazon illegally arranged for a U.S. Postal Service mailbox to be installed in the fulfillment center parking lot during the election. The union alleged that it gave the impression that Amazon might have had access to the secret ballots cast by workers.”  

2. Has more than double the injury rates of industry average. Recent research by the Strategic Organizing Center found that injury rates at Amazon facilities are reportedly double that of the industry average. In 2022, Amazon reported 39,000 injuries at warehouses, an increase of nearly 1,000 injuries from 2021. 

3. Creates dangerous working conditions for delivery workers. A May 2022 report from the Strategic Organizing Center found that nearly one in five workers experienced injuries, a 40 percent increase over the prior year. 

4. Facilitates anti-immigrant actions by the US Government. Starting in the first Trump Administration, the Guardian reported that Amazon Web Services (AWS) hosted the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) databases which allows "the department and its agencies to track and apprehend immigrants." DHS’ databases, currently hosted on AWS servers, allow the department to “supercharge surveillance and deportation” according to immigrant advocates. 

5. Is a major climate emitter. Amazon’s climate emissions are similar to Denmark’s and its direct emissions grew seven percent between 2022 and 2023, in part due to increased emissions from delivery vehicles. Tech companies, including Amazon, are increasingly relying on fossil fuels and nuclear energy to power massive servers for AI technology, undermining their current climate and renewable energy commitments 

6. Creates excessive packaging waste. A report from Oceana found that in 2019, Amazon generated 465 million pounds of plastic waste. This is “enough to circle the earth over a hundred times in the form of air pillows.”  In response to environmental organization campaigns, Amazon has since taken steps to reduce plastic packaging, but the company still sends out plastic mailers with chasing arrows symbols, making it appear that they are recyclable, when most municipalities can’t recycle them. 

7. Refuses to protect factory workers.  In 2020, Amazon and adidas supplier Hulu Garment in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, suspended its entire workforce of 1,020 workers, leaving workers owed $1 million in pay.  Labor justice organizations, including Green America, are urging Amazon to provide payments to the workers, which it so far has refused to do. And, while Amazon adopted policies to protect consumers from toxic chemicals in its clothing, it has yet to adopt policies protecting workers. 

8. Penalizes small businesses that use its platforms. The Sun magazine did a feature interview with author Stacy Mitchell on how Amazon undermines local economies and is bad for small businesses. The Wall Street Journal documented Amazon using data from 3rd party sellers to create its own products.  In 2023, the US Federal Trade Commission, joined by 17 state Attorneys General, filed suit against Amazon for using its monopoly power to stamp out rivals.  

9. Is a tax dodger. In 2018, Amazon faced scrutiny when it paid zero dollars in federal income taxes on its $11 billion profits and even received $129 million in tax rebates. Three years later, the company was only paying a federal income-tax rate of 6%. Without tax breaks, the company would have paid an additional $5 billion in taxes that year. The Institute for Local Self Reliance has documented how Amazon’s tax dodging fueled its rise as a monopoly provider. 

10. Sells unsafe products.  In July 2024, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission ordered Amazon to take action to stop selling unsafe products on its website to unsuspecting consumers.  The Commission found that “400,000 products are subject to this order: specifically, faulty carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, hairdryers without electrocution protection, and children’s sleepwear that violated federal flammability standards.” 

What You Can Do 

• While Amazon makes it so easy to shop on its site, if you resist the urge to engage in one-click shopping and instead shop directly with a local green business, you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you are supporting your local economy and get to meet business owners and employees who share your values.  

• Shop online directly from green businesses in our Green Business directory – with hundreds of businesses vetted for their environmental and social responsibility and thousands of products to choose from. 

• Check out our Sustainable Alternatives to Amazon. 

• Take Action today to send a message to Amazon urging it to protect the rights of all workers. 

You’ll wind up being more intentional about your spending, and more likely only purchase what you need, and you’ll be directly supporting the green economy.