eBay CEO, John Donahoe, joined Michel Gelobter, the founder of Cooler and Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, on a panel discussion at the National Press Club earlier today. The topic of discussion? A report released by Michel Gelobter of carbon-footprint consulting firm, Cooler. Commissioned by eBay, the report highlights the environmental value of enabling consumer-to-consumer online selling and supporting online entrepreneurs and small businesses to compete globally against larger retailers.

One of my favorite talking points about eBay when I get into discussions with folks outside of the office is that technically, eBay is the world’s largest recycler of used goods. This report takes the time to quantify and qualify other “green” aspects of consumer activity online vs. brick-and-mortar.

Some highlights:
“Without the need for an actual store… the peer-to-peer retailer saves everything from the carbon cost of making bricks and other building materials to the ongoing costs of heating, lighting, and otherwise maintaining a retail space.”

“By minimizing infrastructure, reducing the need for warehousing, and maximizing transportation efficiency, small online retailers have created a climate-friendly way to buy and sell.”

It’s pretty incredible when one breaks down the numbers. For example, compared to a single big box retail store grossing $100 million per year, new data reveals that the day-to-day operations of $100 million in sales through small, Web-based businesses generate approximately 1,400 tons fewer CO2-equivalent emissions per year than their offline counterparts: that’s the same amount of energy it takes to power 108 homes for a year. The impact of an individual shopper is equally dramatic – a consumer who spends $100 at a brick-and-mortar retail store is paying to release about 53 pounds of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the same as nearly three gallons of gas from a mid-sized vehicle.

You can download a full PDF of the Cooler Research – 2010: The Small Business Advantage.

Cheers,
RBH