However, the fact remains that packaging materials still have to be manufactured, and that manufacturing process also has a major impact on the environment through the use of energy and the creation of more waste. Reducing your environmental impact through sustainable shipping means looking at the process behind the creation of the packaging materials in addition to looking at the materials themselves. Moving to sustainable shipping isn’t always easy. While it may seem simple to replace Styrofoam packing peanuts with something like air bubbles, small decisions like this are just the tip of the iceberg. An important part of this is investigating options that are more sustainable without sacrificing the same quality and value that your current solutions has. To approach this topic, you can investigate it from the several different angles, as described below.

When it comes to redesigning and optimizing your shipping solutions to reduce your environmental impact, it’s important to remember that you are not the first business to have these goals. Many companies around the world have made the transition to sustainable practices as expectations for it have increased dramatically in recent times. The best way to initiate change in your organization is by taking learnings from others. Study other businesses, both those in your industry and those that work in other areas. Learn what you can from their sustainability practices, and select some of these companies to serve as your benchmarks. From there, it can become a baseline for building a culture that cares about the environment, which can lead to new and innovative ideas to tackle sustainability as your company moves forward.

Once you’ve reached your overall goal with regard to reducing your overall environmental impact, don’t stop there. Keep an eye on your benchmark companies, your competitors, leaders in green business, and the industry as a whole. You’ll likely notice that very few of these companies rest on their accomplishments. They continue to work at reducing their carbon footprints, and you should too – there’s always something that could be changed or improved. Even if it looks like you’ve done all you can do today to reduce the impact you have on the environmental, this may not be the case tomorrow. New materials, processes, and solutions are being created all the time as technology improves. Don’t miss a chance to further improve your company.