Difference between revisions of "Community green shipping"

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(Reducing Costs)
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*What can we learn about more sustainable shipping from our resident expert, Curt Malouin of Red Panda? Can his various strategies be adopted by the whole community? Are they applicable to others?
 
*What can we learn about more sustainable shipping from our resident expert, Curt Malouin of Red Panda? Can his various strategies be adopted by the whole community? Are they applicable to others?
 
*Can we get in the habit of bringing in extra boxes for use by others in the community?
 
*Can we get in the habit of bringing in extra boxes for use by others in the community?
 
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**Can Curt Develop a document with a list of used box sizes, styles, and conditions that he would accept for reuse?
  
  

Revision as of 16:48, 27 August 2013

Box photo by Flickr user ahhyeah.

The question we're asking is: how can the Green Garage community reduce both its collective shipping costs and the ecological footprint of its shipping activity?

Reducing Costs

Part of the answer may lie in forming a UPS association, through which we all benefit from reduced shipping rates using individual UPS account numbers that are tied to a shared Green Garage umbrella account.

Benefits:

  • Reduced cost: small savings on every package can add up to significant annual savings for start-up businesses. The more individual businesses' shipping costs are included in the discount formula, the greater the discount will be.
  • Improved parcel tracking: individual businesses will have access to specific, up-to-date information online about when packages are scheduled to arrive
  • Entering into a community arrangement may make it easier to standardize green shipping options to help reduce footprint

Concerns/questions:

  • If a business-in-residence does not pay its UPS bill, the Green Garage is ultimately responsible for covering that cost. Do we want to take on that responsibility?
  • Are there circumstances under which the rest of the small business community (i.e., not the GG itself) would be responsible for covering the unpaid costs of a single business-in-residence?
  • Is anyone shipping/receiving hazardous material to/from the GG? That would mean an entirely different cost structure.
  • Curt pays $6 every time he calls UPS to make sure they stop by on a particular day. If we enter into an association, can daily stops at a regular time be included, eliminating that recurring charge?

Reducing our Ecological Footprint

  • UPS carbon neutral shipping
    • "UPS offers customers the ability to counter balance the carbon dioxide emissions generated by the transport of their packages through carbon offsetting. This means that for every tonne of CO2 a package produces in transportation, an equivalent amount of CO2 is saved by a verified emission reduction project somewhere else in the world."
  • What can we learn about more sustainable shipping from our resident expert, Curt Malouin of Red Panda? Can his various strategies be adopted by the whole community? Are they applicable to others?
  • Can we get in the habit of bringing in extra boxes for use by others in the community?
    • Can Curt Develop a document with a list of used box sizes, styles, and conditions that he would accept for reuse?