Here's why the environment (still) needs pre-loved goods

Buying preloved items is becoming increasingly popular, and for good reason.

A report by Carousell Group, a secondhand marketplace platform in Southeast Asia, found that users saved 116,577 tons of carbon emissions in 2022 by choosing preloved goods over brand new ones.

Carousell Group's survey also showed that 55% of those surveyed reported buying and selling more secondhand items in 2022 compared to the year before.

Research by Dami Moon has also showed that people tend to use secondhand items even more frequently than new ones.

The study also found that people are less worried about potential damage on secondhand items, further encouraging frequent use.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) emphasizes that reusable products are still the way to go, especially when it comes to tackling plastic waste.

• In the US alone, 40 million tons of plastic waste end up in landfills and oceans every year.

• Daily Mail also found that you'd have to use a reusable bag 7,100 times to make up for all the pollution created when making it.

While reusable products might take a while to offset their initial environmental impact, they're far better than the endless cycle of single-use plastics.