How to Achieve a Greener Supply Chain

Out of the total greenhouse gas emissions, road transport makes up 75%.

Freight movement accounts for 16% of all corporate greenhouse emissions, with heavy-duty trucks as the fastest-growing contributor to emissions.

It’s projected that global freight transport emissions will surpass those from passenger vehicles by 2050.

Route efficiency – Be proactive when planning lanes. See which options take fewer miles and fewer moving parts logistically, so you can get what you need moving while being eco-friendly. The less a shipment needs to travel and the less it needs to move between different trucks means less fuel consumption.

Safe driving – Many truckers and carriers nowadays are taking initiatives to drive smarter, so they limit the amount of carbon emissions they release. Mindful driving habits, like never exceeding the speed limit or idling frequently reduces fuel usage. Using less fuel helps the environment and keeps costs down for carriers and shippers alike. Sustainable freight practices for the trucking industry is the future.

Technology – It’s easier than ever to measure energy usage with the help of a powerful transportation management system (TMS). You can plan for better route efficiency, save time and reduce carbon emissions.

Use less packaging—Of course we want to make sure your freight arrives at its final destination in one piece, but all shippers have a tendency to overpack cargo. Pack smarter by using the best type of materials for your shipment. Alternatively, seek out biodegradable, eco-friendly materials to pack with since some typical packing materials may not be recyclable.

Sustainable packaging—Speaking of eco-friendly packing materials, consider sustainable outer packaging materials. It’s better for the earth and your bottom line since packaging costs are lowered by 90% when reusables are utilized. Efficiency increases as well, because these materials are made to be lightweight and easy-to-use. They will be a perfect fit for fast-paced processing systems.

Smaller packaging—By smaller, we mean properly-measured packaging. When shippers’ pack, they tend to use boxes or crates 40% larger than they need to be. Eliminate wasted space, increase efficiency, and avoid wasting materials by packaging properly.

Proper waste management—There’s a lot of cardboard waste in warehouse management. Instead of having only a large, front load dumpster, take on recycling bins to properly dispose of recyclables.

Ship TL when you can – Truckload shipping has many green advantages, such as being able to consolidate your shipment and securing a truck dedicated to only your shipment. This means fewer stops between your shipment’s point A to point B. It’s a cost-effective measure and minimizing freight space will cut down on the emissions your shipment is putting out as well.

Schedule your own pickups – It’s common for shippers to miss pickup appointments. That means another truck will have to come around and use twice the fuel needed to pick up your shipment.

Avoid air freight – Of all the modes of freight transportation, air freight has the most carbon emissions output, up to fifty times higher than ocean transport. If you’re going green, stay on the ground if you can.