Online shopping continues to gain popularity as more parcels are being delivered to the homes of the customers. A 2017 report showed that online sales gained 15.9% more as compared to the previous year, while in-store sales managed to get only a 2.4% increase. How does this affect the environment?
Advocates of the green campaign argue that the increased in online sales will require the delivery of more parcels to different locations. The Friends of the Earth explains that the vehicles that are going to transport the goods will only release more carbon into the air. Delivery companies, like Parcel 2 Courier, are partly responsible for this. Is it possible for the delivery companies to lessen their carbon emission?
The Drive to Reduce Carbon Emissions
A mail courier in the UK delivers an estimate of 1.8 billion parcels yearly using gas guzzling vehicles. They also use bicycle or travel by foot when making their deliveries. They are also currently using e-trikes to help them deliver the items to the homes of the recipients.
The e-trike is powered by a combination of battery power and pedal. It does not emit carbon, which harms the environment. The 48v lithium battery, which is the vehicle’s main source of power, only needs an overnight charging to get it ready for the following day. It also has solar panels, which supplement the vehicle, on the roof. It has regenerative braking, which also helps to power the vehicle.
The mail courier has a fleet of a hundred e-trikes and has plans for future expansion. They managed to reduce their carbon emissions by a significant percentage since they began their campaign of finding environment-friendly ways to deliver mails and parcels to 30 million homes all over the UK.
Many parcel courier service companies are investing in greener alternatives to cut their carbon footprints. Most of these companies deliver millions of parcels in a year. Some invested in technology that can help determine the most efficient routes and assess the driving style of their drivers to reduce the carbon footprint even more.
The companies like Parcel 2 Courier are doing their best to reduce the carbon emission. Although some critics say that it is still not enough, it’s hard to deny the fact that most courier companies are trying their best to reduce carbon emission.