September 16, 2013
60 11
inShare
13
As I reviewed our new EPA SmartWay Partnership certificate, I paused to think about how far the industry has come and how much further there is to go.
Back in 2007, I was in a Retailing Today article entitled “Green Growth.”
It’s hard to believe that it has been six years. The sustainability concept was fairly new to our industry, and we were all discussing the concept a lot more. Recently, someone asked whether that focus had diminished; I would have to say no.
In my opinion, it hasn’t diminished, it’s just matured. Many companies have built the principles of sustainability into their daily supply chain decisions. I thought I would note some, not all, of the examples that we have discussed with partners just this year.
Packaging
Recycling more pallets; using alternative pallet materials (aluminum, plastic, heat-treated wood, paper, etc.) and utilizing reusable totes.
Reducing waste through cradle-to-grave packaging lifecycle assessments.
Warehousing
Using natural gas-powered, electric, and hybrid electric forklifts in facilities.
Recycling used paper, cardboard, filters, oil, antifreeze, cleaning solutions, and engine batteries.
Constructing facilities with recyclable materials, powered by solar energy, featuring eco-efficient lighting (e.g. motion sensitive, fluorescent, LED, etc.), and implementing alternative soil disposal options in lieu of land filling.
I just returned from States’ Buena Park facility where over half the power comes from solar panels (photo below). Next time we plan a trip to the warehouse rooftop, I think I’ll wear some shades.
Ocean Shipping
Expanding the use of shore power; electric gantry cranes, yard tractors, and other cargo handling equipment.
Environmentally friendly, energy-efficient container ships that scrub contaminants from ship engines and boilers before the discharge exits the ships’ exhaust stacks.
Transportation
Optimizing shipping networks and working with greenhouse gas emissions calculators.
Converting freight shipments from over-the-road to intermodal to capture the benefits of rail.
Monitoring truck driver behavior, providing training to reduce fuel usage, providing driver incentive programs, governing top speeds, and improving route mapping.
Using biofuels and improving mileage with fuel efficient tires, reduced truck weights, aluminum wheels, and using synthetic motor oils.
Using more efficient engines, aerodynamic side skirts, tanker, and trailer design; wide-base single tires; and idle-reduction equipment, automatic tire inflation, and longer combination vehicles.
Using new fuel-efficient locomotives.
There is clearly a long way to go, but the initiatives we have already seen are reducing waste, saving consumers money and reducing stress on the environment. The biggest wins are the truly collaborative multi-company process changes …some already accomplished and many more in-progress. Our best contribution to the mix has been developing more collaborative consolidation programs with retailers, so more less-than-truckloads become truckloads, but there is a lot more to be accomplished and a lot more we can all do.
Posted by:Dan Sanker
via Retail Consolidation & Sustainable Logistics | LinkedIn.
