Is there anything that affects sustainable living quite as much as logistics? Well, perhaps huge negative contributors such as pollutant manufacturing or the agricultural industry, but world logistics too. Unfortunately, we need it. Almost everything in your house was either shipped or driven nearby. It’s a necessary evil we accept for the world to function. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be made better.

There’s plenty of talk around greening business operations today (you may have seen some posts here!) and especially in logistics to some degree. The pressure to cut emissions, clean up supply chains, and appeal to environmentally conscious customers has led to lots of big promises and marketing ploys. But for all the eco-flavoured branding and bold targets, it’s still not commonplace to see businesses go beyond the surface.

That’s partly because many of the most obvious steps are already accounted for. Efficient routing, low-emission fleets, and smarter packaging- that sort of change is welcome. But there’s a difference between ticking a few boxes and thinking deeply about what green logistics can actually mean or how you should structure iit if you’re planning your own approach.

In this post, please let us share some of the advice we think is often most left out of this discussion:

Deprioritizing Speed When It’s Not Essential

Often, logistics drivers are encouraged to keep a good pace within legal parameters for obvious reasons, but perhaps the as-fast-as-you-can mindset isn’t that helpful. There’s a tendency to prioritize next-day delivery or same-day courier services even when the order doesn’t demand that level of speed. This adds pressure to fulfillment processes, even if it can seem like “getting an item off your books” is somewhat convenient. It also increases energy usage and often causes half-empty vans heading out just to meet an arbitrary deadline. Does that have to be the case?

Of course, speed has its place. Some deliveries genuinely need to move quickly, especially in medical procurement for example. But a good chunk of freight simply doesn’t. It could be that your business begins offering slower, greener options with a slower delivery time and perhaps offering that at a discount for the product could help you dedicate your most important resources where they need to be. In some industries, customers even prefer it when they know it means reducing waste and emissions.

Can You Implement Return Logistics With Purpose?

Most businesses understand reverse logistics at least on paper. You get goods back from the customer, process the return, and restock or destroy that item as may be needed. But what happens then? How could you think about the kind of journey a returned product takes? Could it be better from an eco perspective?

Put simply, it’s wise for businesses to look at how returned goods are handled, repackaged, and maybe sent out again. Is there a reuse loop being built, or are items written off and replaced without a second thought? This is because returns are one of the messiest, most resource-heavy parts of a logistics system.

Giving Space To Supplier Collaboration

You never know how much suppliers are looking to improve their sustainable practices, too, and it can’t hurt to ask. If you do, there’s room to invite collaboration on sustainability goals, especially when it comes to transport and packaging, or perhaps when using the same waste management software to keep in mind disposals and how they synchronize with your own firm.

Just remember that logistics doesn’t have to be a solitary process, as you won’t find these opportunities unless you actually ask, build the relationship, and bring sustainability into how you structure your partnership, or how you look for stated values when finding a supplier.

Emissions Matter, But There’s More

Emissions targets are usually focused on the obvious outcomes you could probably list on the top of your head, such as how much fuel is burned, what type of vehicles are used, how efficient the delivery network looks on paper, and more.

But there are also measures to take into account. How well-maintained your vehicles are can directly influence how they operate on the road. Driving training can help you avoid harsh, jerky driving which can lead to engine wear. Of course, investing in electric can help you, even if there are questions about the battery sourcing and the entire cleanliness/sustainability of the manufacturing process.

How you retrofit, sell on or buy used trucks can allow you to reduce the size of your daily footprint, which for many can be a healthy approach. With this advice, we hope you can take into account the most rational and worthwhile green-friendly advice within your logistical network.