There are many reasons you may need or want to ship an item for business or personal uses. However, have you ever stopped to think about the damage shipping can have on our planet? The truth is that the environmental cost of shipping items and products is significant.
With the rapid growth of technology and consumers wanting their packages right away, it’s important to look at the consequences and how to better move forward. The good news is that there are companies who are doing it the right way and tips that will help ensure you’re making the world a better place instead of contributing to the problem.
Impact of Shipping on the Planet
To name a few, the environmental effects of shipping include air pollution, water pollution, acoustic, and oil pollution. The reality is that fast, free, and same-day shipping has a hidden cost and we’re paying for it over time.
The environment is suffering slowly and most companies are trying to mitigate it while not losing or turning away customers. The more time a company has to ship a product or item the more efficient of a process it becomes. However, consumers want their packages now. So, what should companies and consumers do?
E-Commerce & Consolidating Packages
One way companies are trying to reduce the negative effects of shipping on the planet is by offering e-commerce. It’s a greener way of shopping and buying since fewer consumers are making trips to the physical stores with their cars. Companies are consolidating packages and making fewer trips to the same area as one way to make the process more sustainable.
It cuts back on carbon emissions and even the use of cardboard and shipping boxes. Lumping deliveries together is certainly one approach for doing it the right way. Some companies are even nudging consumers to wait longer for packages or rethink how quickly they need their items. Sometimes it works if consumers know they’ll be saving a tree or two in the process.
Greater Efficiency & Innovation
It’s all about creating and having more efficient routes and knowing who in the area needs packages by when. Not being efficient in this area is more carbon-intensive and more expensive for the shipper. It comes down to companies working on process improvement and innovation, and so that they can deliver orders faster and more efficiently.
Another way some companies are reducing their carbon footprint is by using machine learning algorithms to direct where inventory should be stored. Forecasting demand is wise and will only continue to be more precise as technology and time evolve.
The damage shipping can have on our planet is apparent but not always easy to make a direct correlation. There’s a lot that plays into it such as the layout of each city, the gas mileage of each vehicle, and the logistics networks that are always changing.
However, the upside is that people are becoming more aware it’s an issue and a growing problem. Therefore, more and more companies are getting onboard to discover ways to do it the right and the most environmentally-friendly way.