How can the logistics industry improve sustainability?

There is no denying that global shipping is part of the agenda for tackling climate change. We know that, our clients know that and pretty much every member of the human race knows that too! But the challenge is, trying to ship goods around the world in a sustainable way isn’t easy. This being said, there are certainly things that companies, such as ourselves, working within the global shipping industry can do to be more sustainable and fight climate change. In this blog, we are going to explore some of these options and provide insight into how we are working to do the best we can whilst still working within client timescales and expectations. Reduce plastic in packaging A report from National Geographic states that the largest market for plastics today is packaging materials. According to the report, packaging materials now accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste generated globally—most of it never gets recycled or incinerated. The use of sustainable materials, such as wood or cardboard, may be more costly but is certainly more environmentally friendly. At Think Expo Logistics, we use sustainable packaging whenever possible in our shipments. On the occasions that this is not possible, we ensure that any plastic we do use is recycled where possible. Collaboration By working together, companies can ensure shipments are full and, therefore, fewer shipments will need to be made. Having two 50% full containers on one ship makes no sense for many reasons, as well as being eco friendly, working collaboratively is also cost-effective. When shipping client goods to events, we are able to provide sustainability in two ways: 1. Several client’s goods can go within one shipment. 2. We can store your goods in the country of the event. For example, if you have two events in America in the space of a few months, rather than shipping two and from the UK twice, we would ship once and then store the goods in our secure storage facility. Use eco-friendly transport methods Using hybrid or electric vehicles is the obvious way that we can reduce CO2 emissions. This is a large investment for logistics companies but with the ban of petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030, this should certainly be on company’s radars and included within their strategy moving forward. Reduce idling Did you know that from March 2020, the fee for leaving your engine running in some areas of London is now £80? This can be combated in several ways, if you have a newer vehicle, it is likely that it will have a stop start feature meaning that the engine will automatically turn off if your vehicle is idle. If not, it’s really quite simple… Remember to turn your engine off! If you need to, pop a reminder post it on your dashboard. An idling engine can produce up to twice as many exhaust emissions as an engine in motion. Exhaust emissions contain a range of air pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, and particulate matter. These can affect the air quality of the surrounding environment and the air we breathe. Reuse packaging Once a crate has been used to transport goods, there is no reason why it can’t be put back on the vehicle, taken back to the warehouse and used again for future deliveries. Once you have invested in sustainable packaging for your goods, the next trick is to continue to use them. The production of crates adds to global warming so, as they say, every little helps. Together we can work towards a greener future and, at Think Expo Logistics, we are aware of our responsibility to do all we can to make positive choices within our business. For a quote, please get in touch.

For more information on How can the logistics industry improve sustainability? talk to Think Expo Logistics