TO SAVE GAS, SHOPPERS STAY HOME AND CLICK: “Online shopping is gaining at a time when simply filling up a gas tank to head to the mall can seem like a spending spree. A number of retailers — including Gap, Victoria’s Secret and J. C. Penney — are experiencing double-digit sales growth at their shopping Web sites, creating a surprising bright spot during an otherwise gloomy time for sales in brick-and-mortar stores. . . . Lately Nichelle Hines, an actress in Los Angeles, has been shopping online for everything but gas itself — pet supplies, books, DVDs, water filters, kitchen appliances, a dress, her favorite health drink and materials to build a voiceover booth so she does not have to drive to a recording studio.”

I do a lot of my shopping online now — especially what with the free shipping — and it not only saves me hassle, and money on gas, it also saves me money because it reduces impulse purchases. Go to Target to buy something and I inevitably seem to buy a bunch of other stuff. Go to Amazon and order it and I usually don’t order anything else. Judging by the email I got on this earlier post, I’m far from alone. And here are some related thoughts on why telecommuting and online shopping are good for the environment.