On its own it’s a terribly difficult aspect of doing business in a global economy. But when you factor in the globe itself, and attempt to find ways to help the environment through logistics, it can be a daunting task.
A significant obstacle to sustainability is the fact the 35 percent of total miles traveled in the freight industry are empty – meaning trucks arrive with a full truckload but travel back empty after unloading. And according to government figures, heavy-duty truck freight accounts for over 436 million metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. 76 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions are the result of empty miles.
Leading companies are utilizing technology and the old-fashioned notion of sharing to improve the environment effects of trucking.
Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water’s logistics team has made big strides in an effort to reduce waste and carbon emissions in its daily operations. The company bundles shipping loads with other manufacturers and utilizes sophisticated scheduling technology
“Through these actions, we’ve reduced our empty miles traveled to 19 percent, a 45 percent savings of CO2 emissions,” said Waiakea CEO Ryan Emmons. “The meaning of this is significant. If the whole industry is able to reach this level of efficiency, it would reduce CO2 emissions by 34 million metric tons.”
To put that number in perspective, 34 million metric tons equals:
- Taking 7.2 million passenger vehicles off the roads for a year
- Planting 559 million tree seedlings that grow for 10 years
- 5 billion trash bags recycled instead of landfilled
Waiakea Water has also partnered with UPS to offset 100% of carbon emissions related to delivery. For every ton of CO2 produced in transportation, an equivalent amount of CO2 is saved by a verified emission reduction project. Examples include reforestation projects around the world and the restoration of natural grasslands.
By utilizing the scheduling technology, Waiakea has improved on-time delivery percentage, resulting in happier customers, and more opportunities and collaborations with retailers such as Whole Foods, Fresh Market and Wawa.
Since its inception, Waiakea has worked diligently with The CarbonNeutral® company and Ecometrica, two of the world’s leading emissions consultants, to measure and reduce the environmental impact of both its business, and its product, to net zero.
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