ANN ARBOR – Briarwood Mall is encouraging shoppers to return their purchases directly to stores to reduce environmental impacts.
By avoiding the mail system, consumers can reduce up to 40 percent of carbon emissions and save time, money, reduce wasted packaging and stress, said Simon Property Group.
The group, which is engaged in ongoing sustainability initiatives, made the announcement on Earth Day -- a global day of service centered around to the importance of environmental protection.
Read: A brief history of Earth Day
“Where you shop matters,” Simon’s Head of Sustainability, Aharon Kestenbaum, said in a statement. “And where you return also matters. Online returns are a growing problem that adversely and materially impacts the environment. Returning online purchases to the store offers consumers and retailers the opportunity to lessen that impact.”
According to the property group, only seven percent of retailers encourage and promote the return of online purchases to physical stores despite the financial and environmental benefits.
Briarwood Mall is at 100 Briarwood Cir.
For more information, visit its website.