Going carbon neutral can be a challenging road, and it almost always requires changing some of your fundamental business practices—but there are many real rewards. Air Sea Containers has helped many of our customers implement eco-friendly business strategies, and today we’ll talk about the benefits of carbon neutral shipping and how you can bring them to your business.
What Is Carbon Neutral Shipping?
The term “carbon neutral” refers to practices that put a net zero amount of greenhouse gases (such as carbon dioxide or methane) into the atmosphere. These carbon gases are responsible for climate change, so it’s a critical priority for industry and commerce to reduce them as much as possible. Carbon neutral shipping is one important strategy for achieving that, as the transportation sector is a major contributor to carbon dioxide levels.
As you probably know, there’s currently no way to totally eliminate carbon emissions from shipping, as most of the transportation industry still relies on fossil fuels. However, there are some simple steps that any business can take to move in the direction of carbon neutrality and reduce their carbon footprint in a meaningful way. First, though, we should ask: What benefits can businesses expect to receive from pursuing carbon neutral shipping?
Why Go Carbon Neutral?
Understandably, many businesses are hesitant about carbon neutral policies. They’re certainly a big commitment, with benefits that might not immediately be apparent. However, there are actually some well-known benefits of carbon neutrality that every business should know:
- Study after study has shown that customers prefer sustainable brands and that many, particularly millennials, are willing to spend more for them.
- By curbing wasteful power consumption, packaging and shipping practices, carbon-reduction practices can actually create substantial cost savings for businesses.
- Carbon reduction protects the planet we all live and do business on, preserving common resources that enable all businesses to stay productive and profitable.
How Can My Business Use Carbon Neutral Shipping?
Let’s get down to it: What can a business actually do to make their shipping closer to carbon neutral? There are several different methods, and each has its place.
The first step to carbon neutrality is always learning how much carbon your business produces in the first place. To find out, start with a tool such as the Carbon Fund’s Business Emissions Calculator, which allows you to break down your business’s carbon footprint one category at a time.
Once you’ve got an idea of what you’re putting into the atmosphere, there are many strategies available to reduce the net carbon emissions of your shipping:
- Purchase carbon offsets from a reputable supplier. A carbon offset is a contribution to sustainable development and climate cooling projects that companies purchase in the form of “credits” to offset their carbon footprint. For most businesses, carbon offsets are one of the primary ways that they reduce the net carbon output of their shipping. And note the word “reputable”—it’s important to ensure that the money from carbon offsets is going to the right projects, so try looking for offsets that have been certified by organizations like Green-e Climate that investigate and verify offset sellers.
- Analyze and evaluate shipping routes for ways to reduce fuel consumption, idle time and other wasteful practices that increase carbon footprint. Consider consolidated shipping practices such as using third-party LTL carriers.
- Determine if your packaging includes unnecessary materials and find out whether your packaging could be replaced with green materials or custom-designed packaging that cuts out waste.
If greener packaging looks like a good option for you, stick around. We’ve got some great options to show you!
What Carbon Neutral Shipping Products Does Air Sea Offer?
Many of our customers at Air Sea Containers are interested in lowering the carbon footprint of their shipping, and we’re proud to offer the materials that can help them do it. We have an industry-leading range of green and sustainable packaging materials, including:
- Our Opus Air Pillows, the gold standard for biodegradable void fill air pillows.
- Sealed-air packing peanuts, an eco-friendly, high-performance alternative to styrofoam peanuts.
- Reusable, recyclable, non-toxic refrigerant gel packs for an environmentally friendly alternative to dry ice.
- Custom-fabricated corrugated shipping boxes, so you can get the protection you need without wasting packaging.
When you’re ready to go green on your packaging, Air Sea Containers are the ones to call. To learn more about how we help our customers create cleaner and less wasteful packaging, check out our full selection of eco-friendly packaging or call (866) 596-9448 for more information!
