The War on Waste Comes to Kennewick
Local merchants restrict deliveries and introduce a five-cent surcharge to boost efficiency for the war effort.
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The Commercial Economy Board of the National Council of Defense asks retailers and their customers to co-operate to curb waste and release men and capital for the war. In compliance with the government’s request, local merchants have pledged to limit delivery trips to two per day and adopt a five-cent minimum charge for each delivery. Customers are urged to carry their own parcels and shop earlier in the day to save thousands of hours in delivery time annually. Signatories include The Produce Company, Kennewick Trading Co., W. G. King & Son, J. J. Reed & Son, and Holmes’ Grocery.
“Carry your parcels with you to the extent of your ability. Help to make this the fashion.”
This 1917 push for delivery efficiency echoes today’s debates over the 'last-mile' costs of modern e-commerce and the environmental impact of constant home delivery, showing how wartime logistics influenced local consumer behavior a century ago.
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