With the arrival of the "Double 11" shopping festival, major e-commerce platforms and brands in Taiwan have jumped on the bandwagon, generating a massive amount of online shopping packaging waste. The environmental group RE-THINK (Rethinking Environmental Education Association) points out that impulse buying is the root of the problem. Therefore, this year, during the Double 11 shopping festival, they launched the "Double 11: Eliminate Desires and Material Desires" webpage, advocating against overconsumption and reducing waste at the source. Successfully accumulating one million minutes of stay time will unlock the "Meritorious Merit Dedication Beach Cleaning Practice" event, contributing to a clean planet.
RE-THINK pointed out that impulse shopping is the root of the problem, so it launched the "Double Eleven: Let Go of Material Desires" webpage during this year's Double Eleven period, calling on consumers not to overspend.
Research shows impulse purchases take just 0.3 seconds; environmental groups suggest abandoning websites to encourage consumers to calm down.
The Singles' Day shopping festival has been around for years, with some businesses even starting their "warm-up celebrations" in late October. RE-THINK points out that according to a 2023 Cambridge University study, consumers make purchasing decisions in just 0.3 seconds, and more complex decisions involving 6 to 12 options take only 6 to 18 seconds. Therefore, RE-THINK launched the "Double Eleven: Let Go of Material Desires" webpage this year, featuring solemn music and the Heart Sutra, to encourage calmness and to resist impulse shopping.
For people without religious beliefs, the website also provides a copy of the "Don't Be Greedy, Don't Buy Too Much" Heart Sutra, which states, "Discounts are useless. Ignore free shipping. Have mercy on all living things. It's a mantra for calming the mind. It's like crumpling up a bill. It helps you avoid eating dirt at the end of the month. It relieves the pain of returning goods. It eliminates the harm of garbage. Therefore, you can enjoy shopping without buying anything." It's humorous and resonates with consumers' psychology.
In addition to the traditional Heart Sutra, a "Don't Be Greedy, Don't Buy Too Much Heart Sutra" version is also provided for people without religious beliefs to copy, which is humorous and thought-provoking.
RE-THINK founder Huang Zhiyang pointed out, "A lot of marketing is actually based on social psychology, which is to manipulate people's psychological weaknesses. If necessary, we should be as cautious as possible in consumption, making good choices and preserving and maintaining as much as possible."
According to data from the Ministry of Environment, online shopping packaging waste in Taiwan exceeded 240 million pieces in 2022, generating over 110,000 tons of carbon emissions. RE-THINK expressed its desire to break through the overwhelming marketing messages of Singles' Day (Double 11) with bold and innovative initiatives, giving consumers the opportunity to calm down and reflect, and reduce the environmental impact of their inflated consumer desires.
Influencers and businesses rally to support self-cultivation for a cleaner beach and a more environmentally friendly planet.
The "Yuanmie Double 11" website aims to attract 111,111 visitors by the 30th. If visitors successfully accumulate 1 million minutes of stay time, they will unlock the "Dedicate Merit to Beach Cleaning" activity, turning accumulated good intentions into concrete beach cleanup actions, inviting consumers to join in cleaning up the planet.
This unconventional rational shopping initiative has also received responses from KOL Zhiqi Qiqi, Taike Theater, singer-songwriter Wu Wenfang, actors Lian Yuhan and Yao Aining, and others.
In addition to influencers and celebrities, Patagonia, a renowned B Corp that urged consumers to "Don't buy this jacket" during Black Friday shopping, Chilu 22 Dream Studio, which develops shoes made from recycled materials like coffee grounds, and Bozhong Law Firm, also a B Corp and member of 1% for the Planet, will donate to sponsor the beach cleanup in support of the concept of responsible shopping.
Sources:
Environmental Information Center
