The greenhouse gas emitted daily is one of the problems associated with the environmental pollution. Reducing the amount of harmful gas emissions can be achieved by limiting the use of our personal cars, and choosing to use the public transportation or to practice carpooling instead. But also, the industry and the services including logistics can also contribute to the reduction of the release of the harmful emissions in the atmosphere.
The harmful emissions are also associated with the forwarding of purchased goods and freights to the recipients
With the expansion of international trade, especially in Europe, the international freight forwarding is also increasing. The goods and freights purchased in one country often need to be transported to other countries, which is related to the harmful greenhouse gas emissions from the fuel combustion.
Groupage shipments – frequent and chief for the delivery of smaller shipments
The groupage services by the network of freight forwards are provided frequently, mostly on a weekly basis. They are the main method of sending and receiving smaller shipments. The groupage transportation too contributes to the harmful emissions from the combustion of the fuel.
The packaging also leads to an increase of harmful gas emissions
Fuel and electricity is used for the production of the packaging. Since the Europe-wide groupage transport service also relies on packaging, this too is a factor for increasing the greenhouse gas emissions.
The storage of goods and freights is yet another reason for the damaging emissions
The European network for logistic services offers storage as part of its freight forwarding services. The storage of goods and freights requires the use of energy, especially if they need to be stored at a certain temperature. This is another reason why distribution logistics is contributing to the total emissions of greenhouse gas.
What is the share of logistics in the overall exhaust gas emission
The data in regard to the share of logistics in the total carbon emissions is quite worrying. It is 6% of the total emissions of carbon dioxide. In megatons, this amounts to 2,800 megatons of the total 50,000 megatons emitted.
Ways to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, which are being implemented by the member companies in the European logistics network
Primarily, the reduction of the harmful emissions from the transportation services offered by the freight forwarders, is achieved by the implementation of “green” principles for the transportation service:
- Using more “green” vehicles – with more efficient filters and engines
- Reducing the speed of the vehicles whenever there is an opportunity – the slower cars and trucks emit less carbon dioxide
- Increasing the share of groupage services used, so that more small shipments can be forwarded with one single groupage line, and thus saving fuel and reducing the harmful gas emissions.
- The use of intermodal transport – combining different types of transportation. The forwarders throughout Europe rely heavily on transport means with lower exhaust gas emissions – by ship or rail.
The reduction of the harmful emissions is achieved through the use of recycled cardboard instead of plastic for the packing. It is suitable for the secondary packaging which serves for separating the parts of the shipment from one another.
The decrease of the emissions from the storage services provided by the freight forwarders network is done through the use of alternative energy sources: solar panels and energy saving LED lights.