1
Eco-Friendly Methods of Shipping Products
Student's Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date
2
Eco-Friendly Methods of Shipping Products
Background of the Situation
The globe is facing a host of environmental issues, and the main cause is the use of
eco-unfriendly shipping methods and packaging materials. The global shipping industry
contributes to more than 80% of trading globally; however, it accounts for over a billion tons
of gas emissions annually. Shipping is the movement of goods from one area to another and
can take several forms depending on the distance. According to reports, shipping emissions
contributed to about 17% of all global emissions in 2020, and this does not include the carbon
costs of packaging (Sharma et al., 2021).
Consequences and alternative responses
The constant transportation of goods by vehicles, ships, and trains has contributed to
the emission of greenhouse gases since these forms of transport uses fossil fuel. These gases
are poisonous and affect human health and the environment since they are the main cause of
global warming (Dabadgaonkar et al., 2015). Furthermore, although online shopping has
helped cut down emissions due to the reduction of trips to the stores, it has also led to the new
trend of fast as possible shipping (Dabadgaonkar et al., 2016). Since customers expect to
have their ordered goods within two days, it has put a toll on the environment. In addition, the
volume of paper shipping materials needed has led to the emission of greenhouse gases as
well as the trucks on the road rushing to deliver things.
Proposed Response
Environmentally supportive transporting platforms and education of customers on the
need to adopt sustainable practices and greener shipping options will help the customers
appreciate the eco-friendly options provided, leading to more sales. The first proposal that
customers will appreciate is the provision of a greener option during the checkpoint. This
3
option will make the customers see the need to select greener options. In addition, including
the importance of this option to the customers, although goods will take a bit longer, the use
of recycled packaging and biodegradable shipping materials will promote a greener
environment. By doing this, the customers will be willing to use this option more regularly
and choose to shop with these specific suppliers who are considerate of the impacts of
shipping on the environment (Dabadgaonkar et al., 2016).
Secondly, the use of recycled shipping materials such as boxes and packages made
from recycled content help improve the state of the environment while also highlighting to
the customers that the company actively supports a greener world. When customers view a
company as cost-effective and supportive of a greener planet, they will tend to choose to shop
from the exact firm. This will boost sales making the company more productive while cutting
down packaging costs (Sharma et al., 2021). In addition, the use of locally-sourced packaging
materials such as old newspapers or publishing introduces a touch of personality to your
company's products, and the customers may tend to pay more for it or even buy more of the
product.
Thirdly, avoiding the use of oversized packaging or shipping boxes helps reduce
waste while also offering the customers a great first appearance. There have been many cases
where one has ordered a small product only to have it delivered in a box way big (Sharma et
al., 2021). Choosing the right size for a product betters the customer's first expression of the
product. At the same time, it also helps reduce carbon waste and reduce costing ships for both
the customer and the company since the smaller the package, the less the shipping fee. This
consequently means that the company will record more profits due to the cut in cost. In
addition, the customers will order more of the product since it is easier to recycle the
packaging materials since they are easier to handle.
4
Lastly, the customers opt to pay more for a product that uses biodegradable packaging
and is certified by a third party (Sharma et al., 2021). When a third party or recognized body
affirms the customers that your products use biodegradable products, it will ensure that only
positive news is found on the product's support for a greener world when the customers are
researching it. In addition, biodegradable products ensure less trash and that the products are
free from toxic chemicals that can harm the environment. Therefore, the customers would be
willing to pay more for this product to support this company that promotes a safe
environment. However, these proposals can be met by organizational resistance since for the
following ideas to be set up; they will require capital such as getting permits from certified
environmental bodies and purchasing reusable packaging materials. In addition, this
resistance may be caused by the fear of possible economic losses due to new policies.
5
References
Dabadgaonkar, S. B., Prasad, R., & Sen, A. K. (2016, November). Energy Efficient Green
Technology for Eco-Friendly Shipping Using Adjustable Frequency Drive for
Seawater Cooling Systems. In SNAME Maritime Convention. OnePetro.
Dabadgaonkar, S., Sen, A. K., & Prasad, R. (2015, November). Green Technology for Eco-
friendly and Sustainable Shipping using Adjustable Speed Drive. In SNAME 5th
World Maritime Technology Conference. OnePetro. https://doi.org/10.5957/WMTC-
2015-248
Sharma, R. R., Kaur, T., & Syan, A. S. (2021). Digitalization and Sustainability.
In Sustainability Marketing. Emerald Publishing
Limited. https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-80071-244-720211017
