The logistics industry is increasingly concerned about how it can reduce its carbon footprint and help the globe reach its carbon emissions reduction targets. One obvious means through which this can be achieved is by reducing the number of vehicles that travel back to the depot empty.
Tackling this is not only better for the environment, but it’s also better for the industry itself, and helps to reduce costs. It’s better for both the climate and for business if we can make full use of vehicles involved in transporting goods.
What is a return load?
When a load is delivered to its destination and the goods are delivered there is then space within the truck for the return journey. In the past, the truck may well have travelled back to its depot empty, but now, logistics companies are loading a new set of goods for the return journey. This is known as a return load, and it can apply to goods that are carried by any kind of vehicle whether that be a truck, plane, van or train.
Why is a return load good for the environment?
Fossil fuels are a major contributor to global warming. As a result of burning fossil fuels since the Industrial Revolution, the global temperature has increased. This is because the temperature of the Earth depends on a balance between incoming energy from the Sun and the energy that bounces back into space.
Carbon dioxide absorbs heat that would otherwise be lost to space. Some of this energy is then re-emitted back to Earth, causing the planet to warm. As a result, the ice caps melt, sea levels rise and parts of the planet become too warm for crops to grow and for people to survive.
Here in the UK, it could mean more extreme weather and severe coastal erosion with towns and cities threatened by rising sea levels and river levels. So it’s in all of our interests to try and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we emit into the atmosphere.
The logistics industry is working hard to play its part. In time, it’s likely that vehicles used in transporting goods across the planet will be powered by renewable sources such as electricity from solar and wind power. In the meantime, as we manage that transition, we have to do all we can to move goods and burn fuel as efficiently as possible.
Return loads enable us to maximise the amount of goods we can move. Empty vehicles are a drag on costs as well as damaging to the environment.
Reducing our carbon footprint with increased numbers of return loads
At SSO Logistics, we are committed to playing our part in reducing the UK’s carbon footprint. We have recently maintained our FORS Bronze status and we’re proud to say that most of our vehicles are not only smarter and greener, but our drivers are also safe and more efficient on the road.
We don’t want our vehicles driving around the UK empty and wasting fuel for no reason. That’s why we offer extremely competitive prices for return loads. If we are in your area delivering, we can pick up your goods and bring them back to the North West, or deliver them somewhere along the way.
Why not ,contact us today to find out more about our ,return load service?
