The hidden cost of convenience
By Max van Nijnatten – 3 minute read
We’ve all done it. One-click shopping, next-day delivery, impulse orders at midnight. It feels easy, fast, and frictionless—until you zoom out and see the bigger picture. Convenience might feel free, but the hidden cost of convenience is piling up—in landfills, in emissions, and in our communities.
Fast and disposable is costing us more than we think
Let’s take online shopping as an example. Behind that free delivery lies a supply chain pumping out packaging waste, air freight emissions, and an endless demand for new production. That trendy blender you used twice? Its carbon footprint was built long before it hit your doorstep.
Even something as small as a power drill, used for an average of 13 minutes in its lifetime, contributes to overproduction. And let’s be honest—how many things do you actually use more than once a year?
The real price tag: carbon, clutter, and community
Convenience often means excess. Extra stuff, extra packaging, extra waste. But it’s also taking a toll on our social fabric. Instead of borrowing a tool from your neighbor, you buy a new one. Instead of connecting with your community, you outsource to big platforms. We’re gaining speed but losing touch.
Here’s the twist: living more sustainably doesn’t have to be harder. It just needs to be smarter.
Borrow better, live better
Platforms like ivault make it easy to choose access over ownership. Need a juicer for a week? A tent for a festival? A pressure washer for spring cleaning? Someone nearby has it—and would love to share. You save money, reduce waste, and start building the kind of neighborhood where people help each other out.
That’s what we call local sustainability solutions.
When we rent instead of buy, we cut down on packaging, lower emissions, and give products longer lives. And the best part? It’s just as convenient—minus the guilt.
Let’s trade convenience for connection
Convenience isn’t going away—but we can change what it looks like. With ivault, convenience becomes conscious. You still get what you need, but without the waste, cost, or clutter.
So next time you’re about to click “Buy Now,” pause. Ask yourself:
“Can I borrow this instead?”
Chances are, the answer is yes. And that small shift? That’s how we change the world.