2 minute read
Out the Box
by 55 North
Deliveries go green
Most of us want to be eco-conscious – but how do we make sure our choices are sustainable?
A new online carbon footprint tool promises to help online shoppers work out the most environmentally friendly delivery method.
WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?
The University of Hull’s Aura Innovation Centre has joined forces with iParcelBox to develop a calculator aiming to give both retailers and customers a “fair and unbiased” comparison of the carbon footprint of different online purchasing options.
The tool promises to enable buyers to make informed decisions as to which delivery method is the greenest, while also helping to cause behavioural changes towards a more sustainable future.
WHAT’S IPARCELBOX ANYWAY?
The Hull-based company provides a smart, secure and weatherproof dropbox, which the customer monitors and controls from their smartphone to receive parcels when they’re not home or can’t get to the door. This means parcels get delivered first time, cutting down emissions associated with missed deliveries.
WHY DID IT NEED A CARBON FOOTPRINT TOOL?
It wanted to know exactly how green its product was compared to local pick-up points.
AREN’T LOCAL PICK-UP POINTS BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT?
That’s what the couriers say. To reduce their own corporate emissions, many companies are encouraging customers to get their parcels delivered to local hubs, such as pick-up points or lockers, enabling them to claim lower emissions for the last leg of the delivery process.
THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT.
However, depending on the locations of the parcel pick-up hubs, such claims of environmental benefits ignore that the customer will still have to collect their parcel from the local hub. This could involve a further journey if not within a short distance – a particular issue for outof-town online shoppers for whom walking, cycling or public transport may not be an option.
SO WHICH IS GREENER, HOME DELIVERY OR LOCAL PICK-UP?
That depends on several factors, not least the distance between your house and the local hub. Hence the carbon calculator.
HOW DO I ACCESS IT?
The carbon calculator tool is available for industry and customers here.
