The growth of ecommerce is rapidly leaving its mark on the environment. As more and more awareness of global climate change occurs, many businesses are now considering how they will cut back their own carbon footprints. Fulfillment Centers are now beginning to offer green shipping ideas and are beginning to offer eco-friendly packaging options to their clients.
Why Go Green?
According to studies, shipping emissions will account for almost 17% of all world CO2 emissions by 2050, this doesn’t consider the carbon costs of packaging or packing materials. On-line shopping is estimated to become a multi trillion dollar industry by 2024 and although online shopping saves the consumer a car, bus, or train ride to the store, which cuts down on emissions, these benefits are countered by the modern culture of fast-as-possible shipping. We all love getting things delivered to our doors in only a day or 2, however it comes at a cost. The fuel needed to move your item from its warehouse location to that customer is double that of an individual’s carbon footprint.
It’s not the customers fault that e-Commerce has “trained” them into expecting same or two-day delivery when making a purchase on-line. In fact, many shoppers most likely don’t realize the environmental impact of their decisions when ordering multiple items from multiple businesses all housed under the same website and same BIG BOX eCommerce Fulfillment center.
while still be able to guarantee same day order fulfillment and shipping but while integrating recycled and biodegradable options in their paper shipping materials.
Our Las Vegas Fulfillment center has switched to a single pick up per carrier per day in order to reduce the amount of gases being emitted from additional trucks on the road. This does not affect our same day shipping guarantee as each of our employees has bought into the idea of helping to protect our environment and saving our precious home. We’ve also discussed with each of our clients the benefits of using Green packing materials and how those slightly higher costs can help grow their online businesses. By offering your clients an option of having eco-friendly shipping rates we as a team can help modify their behavior in an environmentally positive way.
A Few Green Shipping Ideas:
1. Decrease the Packaging Sizes
How many of us have ordered an item online only to have it arrive in a box that was just way too big and stuffed with plastic, air filled cushions?
The absolute easiest solution for this is to discuss the proper shaped box for your items when shipping merchandise with your Fulfillment Center. Not only will this easy approach be beneficial to the environment but it will also reduce the bottom-line shipping cost because of the 10% or more reduction of package weight.
2. Set Specific Order Time Guarantees on Your Web Store
Everyone loves same day and next day delivery. Unfortunately, as mentioned above this is rapidly becoming detrimental to our planet.
By offering your customers a specific time cut off for same day shipping you not only will be creating a sense of urgency in their purchase decision but you will be ensuring that your Fulfillment Center can get those ordered items out and on the way to your customers.
3. Biodegradable Packaging Materials
Ask if your fulfillment center uses any of these materials when shipping your products.
We at Black Mountain Fulfillment Las Vegas strongly believe in keeping our earth as healthy as we can which is why we use the following materials for our clients.
*Eco-Friendly biodegradable Packing Peanuts
*Biodegradable plastic wrap
*Biodegradable mailers
*Biodegradable packing peanuts in a properly sized recycled material cardboard box
4. Recycled Packing Material Options
This list of recycled materials could help you in discussing a more affordable Green solution for your shipping needs:
*Recycled Mailers
*Recycled Poly Mailers
*Recycled soft Mailers
*Recycled Mailer bags
*Recycled Shipping Boxes
*Custom boxes made of recycled material
*Recycled Filler and padding
*Recycled corrugated Bubble
*Recycled Packaging Paper
*Recycled Carton protection Tape
*Recycled tissue
*Eco-Friendly Shipping Labels
*Recycled cardboard
*Recycled composition board
If you decide on a recycled packaging solution you not only are helping to reduce the pollution caused by the pulp and paper trade, you’re supporting businesses whose mission is to decrease our carbon footprint. We as a team can support a greener world and help in the reduction in the higher costs associated with going green.
By taking the time to ask about greener shipping solutions, not only will you be helping your business, but you will also be helping your customers become an active participant in making this an eco-friendly world!