Sustainability is a concept that works towards meeting daily needs while protecting the environment for today and future generations. It’s said that most people have adopted this concept in their daily lives, which is quite commendable. Based on this, you’ll find a section of people only purchasing commodities from businesses that have adopted sustainability. Where does this move leave the businesses that aren’t sustainable?
It shows that businesses should also work towards protecting the environment. Some businesses have already taken the approach; what about you? If you haven’t taken the step, it’s time you did. As you plan on doing this, you might wonder where to start.
One of the simple things to do is to adopt sustainable shipping as you work around other ways. It begs the question; how will you do this?
Here’s a guide to assist you:
- Work With A Sustainable Shipping Provider
This technique is handy if you rely on a shipping company to deliver goods to your clients. Get into a partnership with a provider that has adopted sustainability in their business.
For instance, they can be using sustainable RW Shipping Containers to meet your needs. Please ask them how they’ve incorporated it and proceed to confirm. You can confirm by visiting their premises and seeing the sustainability aspect. Them having a certification from the relevant bodies is an added advantage.
- Use Recyclable Shipping Supplies
One of the main definers of sustainability is recycling, which entails converting waste materials into new products. This process contributes to sustainability by reducing waste.
There are many recyclable shipping supplies you can adopt, especially those made of brown paper. It’ll help to combine this strategy with a store where customers can return the shipping boxes after receiving their orders.
You’ll then pick these packaging boxes and recycle them into new packaging solutions for future use. This way, you won’t need to re-do the entire processing process that requires new raw materials.
Suppose you don’t set up a shop and your sustainable packaging finds its way to the environment as waste. It shouldn’t worry you since the packaging is biodegradable; it’ll decompose and won’t harm the environment.
- Use Re-Usable Packaging
Re-usable packaging is a counterpart to recyclable products. However, with re-using, the products last longer and can serve various functions. Your customers can re-use the packaging repeatedly to the point of no use.
Re-using also minimizes environmental waste while ensuring you fully utilize the packaging. Consider giving your customers suggestions on alternative uses of your re-usable packaging. Doing so might prompt them to re-use the packaging instead of throwing them away.
- Minimize Deliveries
Convenience is one of the ingredients of quality customer service. Businesses have adopted delivery services to offer their customers convenience. It’s a good practice and commendable, especially in ensuring your customers keep returning for more. Nonetheless, if you fail to approach it properly, you might negatively affect the environment.
Business deliveries will require the use of vehicles that emit carbon monoxide. This gas and other emissions negatively affect the environment. Imagine a situation where you have to make more than 10 deliveries in a day. What impact will it have on the environment?
But there’s a way around this, which works to minimize your deliveries. It doesn’t mean you’ll stop delivering goods to your customers. Instead, you’ll do it in an organized manner with the environment in mind.
It’d help to create delivery schedules. It could be two or three deliveries in a week or dailybut in bulk. For instance, with bulk, daily delivery, you could ask your clients to make their orders by one o’clock in the afternoon for same-day delivery. You’ll then dispatch all the day’s orders at one o’clock and in one trip. This way, there’ll be less travel time by the shipping vehicle, reducing the number of emissions released to the environment.
- Practice Regular Maintenance Of Shipping Vehicles
This strategy comes in handy if you have your vehicles to handle shipping.
As stated herein, vehicles can negatively affect the environment, especially through emissions. As a business, you can minimize, if not eliminate, these emissions by maintaining your shipping vehicles.
Be sure to service them as needed and change the oil and air filters. A well-serviced vehicle will have minimal carbon emissions, contributing to sustainability.
Conclusion
Sustainability is a commendable movement to adopt, not only as a business but also as an individual. The discussion above guides on making the shipping aspect of your business sustainable. With this insight, you’re better placed to start your journey of taking care of the environment as a business.
