In a day and age where environmental impact is constantly under the microscope and a major global effort is being taken to improve environmental damage, it is important to take a look at the impact of the postal service and what the future looks like. With both businesses and individuals relying very heavily on shipping parcels up and down the country as well as overseas, shipping companies should be taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint and improving the efficiency of their transport networks.

Impact of Deliveries

So, what is the impact of mail on the environment? With the rise in online shopping, a huge amount of the transportation is carried out by medium and heavy-duty trucks. This has led to transportation becoming the top producer of carbon dioxide emissions in the US, overtaking power plants for the first time since 1979. Previously, these shipments would be delivered straight to stores but now items get delivered straight to residential addresses. This is problematic as it means that these trucks can be on the roads for longer and are attempting to reach areas that were not designed for freight traffic, which can create congestion and other similar issues.

Fortunately, there is not much difference between opting for first class and second class mail as this simply involves buying the right to jump the queue and not change the delivery method (a second class parcel could still be taken on a plane or truck). Still, it is important for couriers to look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint whilst consumers should encourage these changes whilst also changing the way in which orders are made to minimise the number of shipments.

Electric Trucks

One exciting development and one which is likely to revolutionise the delivery industry is the advancement of electric trucks. We are beginning to see more and more motorists make the switch, but soon there will be electric delivery trucks available to courier companies. Unsurprisingly, tech pioneer and CEO of Tesla Elon Musk is paving the way with the Tesla Semi, which is scheduled for production in 2019. He believes that it will have a range of 600 miles on one charge and will allow for much cleaner mail. Due to the savings that can be made, these will be smart investments to make and particularly as there is an increasing amount of pressure for people to switch to eco-friendly vehicles.

The impact of mail on the environment is important to consider in a day and age where businesses and individuals are buying more than ever, but there are steps being taken to combat this and the future looks bright for eco-friendly deliveries.