Green Solutions by Greta Thunberg implementable for Last-Mile Delivery?
We all heard about Greta Thunberg, a global activist against climate change and an environmental fighter. She became famous after her speech at the UN on the podium in New York this fall. Speaking to the presidents of more than 60 countries, she tried to convey the environmental problem in our time, thereby provoking ambivalent feelings around the world.
What is Greta Tunberg trying to say?
Greta Thunberg is trying to convey political leaders of the countries that now is the time when it is necessary to solve the problems of climate change. Also asking to sign the “Paris Climate Agreement”.
Everyone agrees that there are serious changes in the field of climate and ecology, but how seriously and how to solve this problem cause a big difference between countries and scientists.
Probably today there is not one production or business left that is being improved and modernized for the good of the land and its wealth, including the scope of deliveries.
Delivery is one of the growing areas of business all over the world, and deliveries take place all over the world on all types of vehicles. Delivery of the last mile — is also trying to innovate and simulate the service and keep up with new trends. It is clear that e-commerce will only increase every year and orders and delivery of orders will require new solutions.
How much does the delivery of the last mile fit the requirements of environmentalists?
This article will consider the difficult topic “modernizing the delivery of the last mile and how much it is applicable today?”.
Greta Thunberg opposes plane flights, and ask to reduce the number of flights worldwide. Thus, proving that air carriers are one of the largest nature loaders.
But can today the delivery world refuse fast deliveries of aircraft? And as far as possible the introduction of other vehicles that are more environmentally friendly.
What threats are there?
Firstly, the economic and social life of the modern world is concentrated in cities. According to UN statistics, the proportion of the population living in cities increased from 29.55% in 1950 to 51.64% in 2010. Over 60 years, the share of the urban population in the total population increased by almost 75%. It is estimated that cities generate about 85% of GDP. Similar findings from a study by McKinsey, a consulting firm. This means the concentration of production processes and trade in urban areas. This concentration is the cause, and at the same time, it is a consequence of the development of the urban transport logistics system.
Secondly, from an environmental point of view, the focus of logistics systems in cities has negative consequences for the quality of life of residents. Most accidents and traffic jams occur in cities, which leads to the accumulation of pollutants in air and water (including greenhouse gas emissions) and the generation of noise. According to a report from the European Commission, it is recognized that urban transport is responsible for a quarter of all CO2 emissions and 69% of road traffic accidents occur in urban areas. However, with increasing traffic, traffic jams in 2050 may increase by 50%.
Thirdly, e-commerce is the result of popularizing transactions on the Internet, which makes it possible to make purchases of contracts in a virtual environment. Among the most important advantages of e-commerce, perceived from the point of view of the buyer should be noted
- 24/7 availability
- home delivery / no need to go to the store
- ease of comparing offers
- attractive prices
- ease of finding rare / specialized goods
- significant amount of product information
- larger assortment than in traditional stores
- the right to return any purchases made “at a distance”.
Examples of delivering the last mile using “green” methods
Since the demand for delivery is overestimated, many companies are making various changes.
Lockers for parcels. For example, one of the solutions is special places where you can leave the parcel near the house. Parcel lockers are becoming increasingly popular as they are economical, easy to use and environmentally friendly. They also provide customers with the opportunity to pick up their belongings at a convenient time for them and at a convenient time for them, as a rule, in parcel machines located at stations, in supermarkets and convenience stores.
Waterways for cargo. Another option is to send cargo by water. Waterways can transport significant volumes of cargo with much lower energy consumption compared to transportation by road, rail or air. Countries with existing waterway networks have an excellent alternative last-mile delivery option that bypasses common problems such as traffic jams.
Autonomous transports. The future delivery of the last mile is likely to depend on robots and driverless cars. The idea is that autonomous vehicles collect packages from racks in warehouses and send them directly to the doorstep of the client. The technology has not yet been improved, but some of the largest companies are striving to develop it. For example, Project Wing from Google aims to be an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle delivery service that can deliver everything from fresh food to essentials within a 14 km round trip. In London, green robots with artificial intelligence (AI) are changing the way food is delivered by serving customers delivering hot food through zero-emission electric robots. These food delivery robots can travel at speeds of up to four miles per hour with loads of up to 10 kg.
Sustainable logistics: secondary and reusable packaging
Green packaging. There are more modern and cheaper ways to implement greener delivery. Delivery packaging turns green and it’s time. Plastic damages our planet by drowning the oceans and affecting the very air we breathe. Packaging manufacturers began to produce companies from natural, recyclable materials.
Recycled materials. Another solution is to use recycled materials to deliver bags and boxes, such as Asos or Walmart e-commerce retailers and their durable playbook packaging. Throwing away plastic to create cleaner materials gives these brands an excellent reputation among their activist consumers and excludes them from Greenpeace’s list of naughty brands.
Conclusion. The nationwide growth of the Smart City makes it important for any reliable last-mile delivery specialist to offer a green fleet, with green solutions. By taking advantage of cutting-edge technology and smarter ways of routing couriers in urban centers, providing a sustainable transportation solution is of paramount importance.
What’s more, as environmental concerns become even more apparent globally, last-mile logistics providers will need to adopt the cleanest, greenest fleets in order to survive in a competitive marketplace.
