The logistics industry is adapting to consumers and business owners who prioritize the planet. You can meet those needs by researching and applying sustainable changes happening within logistics teams.
Many options are available for budgets of all sizes, so everyone can help the planet and appeal to consumers with green values.
1. Upgraded Electric Fleets
Delivery vehicles require traditional fossil fuels. The resulting carbon emissions contribute to the deteriorating environment. Transportation accounted for 29% of total greenhouse gas emissions in the United States in 2022. One company can’t eliminate the transportation sector’s carbon footprint, but you can make actionable changes by rethinking your fleet vehicles.
Upgrading to an electric fleet will reduce your team’s daily emissions. Even getting one per year will gradually improve your planetary impact and help your team avoid budgeting for rising gas prices. The long-term cost savings will grow after the initial investment in each fleet vehicle.
2. Optimized Delivery Routes
Routes change how logistics teams stay on schedule and affect the environment. If they take busier roads, they’ll burn extra fossil fuels while waiting in standstill traffic. Optimizing your routes will ensure that deliveries happen on time and prioritize the planet.
The latest route optimization software programs track weather and traffic conditions in specific regions. Consider investing in one for your team. After they receive proper training, the software could revolutionize your company’s sustainability, even during short delivery routes.
3. Solar-Paneled Warehousing
Storage warehouses often consume electricity around the clock. Maintaining steady operations is essential in the logistics industry, but it has an environmental price. Power plants burn fossil fuels to send electricity through the local grid. You don’t need to use that power if you research solar panel options.
Adding solar panels to your roof will make your facility self-sustainable and less reliant on an electric grid that creates greenhouse gases. Solar panels are also useful if you get an electric fleet. Second-life electric vehicle batteries may generate 330-350 gigawatt-hours each by 2030, which could power your fleet if you have solar charging stations.
4. LED Storage Facility Bulbs
Proper lighting keeps people safe at logistics facilities. Although fluorescent fixtures may have been an industry standard, you don’t have to settle for lighting that hurts the environment. Light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs last three to five times longer than compact fluorescent lamps and come in a variety of styles.
Use them for parking lot lighting or refrigerated units. LED bulbs are also beneficial for enhanced visibility in team workspaces and kitchens. The bright illumination will keep your team safe throughout your property and meet your green goals.
5. Sustainable Packaging Materials
Logistics teams that provide packaging materials alongside delivery services can upgrade their available stock with biodegradable packaging. The sustainable alternative ensures that your company isn’t harming the planet by contributing excess landfill waste with each delivery.
Younger shoppers and high-income consumers are most willing to pay for green packaging, which includes multiple potential customer bases. Offering eco-friendly materials could help your team reach new consumers or cater to clients with those target audiences. You may become the preferred local logistics team for those companies by meeting their consumer demand.
6. Water Conservation Systems
Warehousing professionals need water daily. Even if your team only uses it in the facility kitchen and bathrooms, you can still support the planet by reducing your water use. Freshwater only accounts for 3% of the planet’s water supply, making it a limited natural resource.
Installing a water conservation system or low-flow faucets could be an optimal compromise. Everyone will still have access to the water they need to stay healthy and do their jobs. Meanwhile, your facility will use less of the natural resource. You may also reduce your utility bills by slowing water usage on your commercial property.
Embrace Industry-Wide Sustainable Logistics Practices
The logistics world is catching up to the green values of consumers and business owners. You can help your team become more eco-friendly by using strategies that prioritize sustainability and budget considerations over the coming months.
