Shipping air

Recently, here at Pli, we setup an LCA (life cycle analysis) system to measure the total impact our products have on the environment. Analysing the data, we realised that a large proportion of the energy used in the life of a product was caused by shipping. Looking at the success of companies like IKEA, the originators of flat-pack, we see that reducing the amount of air you ship can save you money as a company.

In this oil-hungry world, money tends to go hand in hand with energy usage–so reducing shipping sizes equals less money and less energy, which is definitely a win/win for us. However the “ship less air, make more money” formula doesn’t work for everybody. Most people have had the experience of getting a ridiculously over-sized box for a tiny order. Just this week we had about three orders into the workshop in boxes three or four times their size.

There are a many reasons for over-packing a product, whether it is financial or just laziness, but after seeing some of these examples via Treehugger, you may agree that something needs to be done to curb this energy black hole.

If you look closely you can see the small bottle at the front of the picture. Yes it is a medical bottle but come on…

So next time you get a USB stick in a fridge box you may to let them know that you didn't order the extra air. Once companies work out that customers may like saving a pound on delivery but not at the expense of the environment, they may rethink their shipping methods. It isn't about how efficient or "green" a product can be when it is use or during manufacture. The real change in a products impact happens when you look at the total product lifecycle: that means production, shipping, and everything else. It all counts.