Shakespeare was wont to say, A rose by any other name would smell as sweet, when describing those he, or his characters, found undesirable.
But could the same be said for what has arguably become the bane of environmentalists the world over when trying to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, which is to say, the, er, expulsions of cows?
Long before the call to ban bovine burps and belches, though, was, of course, the war on transportation with frequent entreaties from the scientific community to reduce carbon footprints, buy electric cars, and drive less if at all.
Regardless of which camp the conscious consumer or corporation falls into, if any at all, the facts are clear that the world is getting warmer and governments are creating protocols that will eventually make producers and shippers pay should they fall on the wrong side of the compliance equation.
Setting aside the many opinions and root cause conjectures as to whether cows or cars are more to blame for poor air quality and pollution, the more immediate problem for businesses is how to efficiently and effectively streamline their processes so as to remain profitably while simultaneously reducing CO2 emissions.
One of the first places a logistics and supply chain company should consider turning green is, but of course, the last mile of delivery made famous by Amazon.com.
This can be done at cost and at scope with the help of Hanhaa’s insightful ParceLive technology that is not only itself ‘clean’ and easily reusable, but also easily deployable to over 38 countries so that when it comes time to expedite a shipment in a congested city there will be little to no risk to one’s bottom or triple line.
ParceLive and the current state of green freight programs:
Before addressing those features that make Hanhaa’s ParceLive software instrumental in solving the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions problem, the logistician and supply chain manager must concede that there are economic and environmental costs in continuing to conduct business as usual.
Consider that reports from the scientific community, whether managers chose to believe them or not, still largely drive political and legal decision-making procedures when it comes to what emissions standards to adopt or what fines to levy should countries fail to comply by certain benchmark dates.
That said, many companies are proactively looking to get out in front of calls to reduce GHG emissions by 50 percent by 2050 with the likes of DHL even targeting zero emissions by 2025 though the limited use of bicycles and electric vehicles when servicing first- and last-mile delivery requests.
Supply chain managers do not have to don spandex bike shorts should they endeavour to make more ‘green’ their freight delivery services so much as look to leverage those software- and hardware-based solutions that provide them with better demand forecasting options and traffic pattern recognition features.
This is precisely what ParceLive can afford the harried logistician as each tracker has the ability to capture data for up to 50 days while simultaneously alerting managers to any unanticipated changes in package location, temperature fluctuations, variations in humidity, drops, shocks, or exposure to light.
When coupled with GHG emission goals, these trackers can also ensure last-mile deliveries are only undertaken by foot, wheel, or electric motor in accordance with the wishes of environmentally friendly consumers.
GHG reduction and goodwill:
Building rapport with end users is, and always has been, important when it comes to boosting the life-time value of supply chain customers.
That said, and as consumers continue to track their own carbon footprints toward zero, shipping companies have the unique opportunity to generate genuine, good-news marketing content around how their adoption of smart technology helped reduce the some 28 percent of all GHG emissions attributed to the transportation industry.
Compare that to the 14 percent credited to cows and, well, maybe Shakespeare could be forgiven in trying to compare one bad situation to an equally disagreeable one.
Regardless of how one feels about classic literature, though, ParceLive makes easy not only off-peak routing and delivery consolidation across multiple carriers, countries, and time zones, but also provides the data to support marketing claims that will continue to bring in business year after year.
Partners in pollution reduction:
ParceLive is, of course, no silver-bullet solution to the more specific problem of road transportation triggered GHG emissions, which account for 72 percent of all logistics-based pollution.
Supply chain managers and logisticians can still do their part, however, by looking to increase the percentage of brokerage partnerships and contracts they sign with companies and countries leading GHG emissions reductions such as Lithuania, Estonia, and Sweden.
By using the software to bridge different data systems, well-established companies can even go so far as to share data and provide useful insights to partner firms in China, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand where, aside from reducing cow populations, logistics firms can have positive impacts on improving air quality by developing alternative delivery solutions.
In conclusion, it is important for the logistician and supply chain manager to first divest him or herself of the notion that GHG emissions should be put out to pasture and are something for someone else to deal with at some other time, date, and location.
Shipping companies and distributors have no choice but to comply with laws and regulations stipulating observance and adherence of CO2 emissions standards or else risk facing steep fines and the loss of long-term, high-value customers.
Instead of trying to fight this uphill political and social battle, though, firms should embrace the challenge and adopt smart technology like that offered by ParceLive where physical and digital connectivity lends itself to optimizing last-mile delivery options, routing, and partnership agreements.
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