5 January 2022 Even if you don’t know the expression, you surely associate it with an ecological and sustainable stance, right? You’re not wrong, but you might not know why the term is trending. In logistics, having a “green warehouse” goes beyond doing something positive for the planet. It’s also an effective way to reduce costs and streamline processes. Distribution centers are not immune to the consequences of waste and excessive consumption of energy and materials. Waste costs money and can be enemies of meeting deadlines and financial results, as well as being harmful to the environment. This means companies have several reasons to move towards more sustainable business practices, eliminating inefficiencies, hence the need to seek a “Green Warehouse”, a green logistics. Green Warehouse It’s quite common to see companies focusing their efforts on the transportation network, seeking solutions like electric cars, cleaner fuels, and greater efficiency in last-mile delivery, to reduce CO2 emissions. But it’s not enough to just look outside. It’s also necessary to evaluate the internal functioning of the warehouses. How is the energy consumption? Is there excessive use of paper? Is the disposal of materials high? Questions like these need to be asked for an accurate diagnosis of the current situation and the development of strategies that meet the “Green Warehouse”. When making changes that can make the business more sustainable, the benefits are not limited, for example, to reducing energy bills, reducing carbon emissions, or reducing waste. Customers will surely approve, and employees will feel proud to be part of a company that cares about the environment. And you might be wondering: what should I do? Where to start? The good news is that there is no exact formula, but a path that everyone can follow in their own way towards the same final goals. Making small changes to make your warehouse more environmentally friendly is a big step in the right direction. Going green doesn’t have to be difficult. And, to help you, we have gathered some tips to achieve the status of a “Green Warehouse”. 1. Rethink warehouse lighting Everything in the supply chain requires energy to operate. Consequently, measures that save energy in the warehouse, besides making it more sustainable, bring significant cost savings. One of the biggest uses of energy in the warehouse is the lighting system, but it’s not a good idea to lower light levels. Providing good lighting is essential to increase worker safety, prevent equipment damage, and improve efficiency. But there are ways to ensure good light without consuming much energy. See how: New lamp layout: warehouses tend to change layout over the years as products and equipment used vary. This could leave them with insufficient lighting in some areas. In this sense, a tip is to create a new arrangement of electric lights, trying to avoid equipment and racks casting shadows that could compromise brightness. This ensures that the energy spent on lighting is not wasted and, at the same time, increases worker efficiency. Replacing bulbs: many warehouses still use metal halide, mercury vapor, or halogen bulbs, which provide intense light but do so inefficiently. LED lights can provide a brighter light at 150 lumens per watt and waste less energy in the form of heat. Conscious use: although light is extremely important in work areas, it can also be a waste of energy in rooms where no one is present. Establishing a policy of turning off lights in break rooms and bathrooms when no one is present can save money, and using timers and sensors can ensure the policy is followed. All the above strategies require an investment of time and money to create a proposal and execute it. However, a carefully designed lighting plan helps reduce costs and can lead to improvements in productivity, bringing a good return on investment. It’s worth adding that investing in clean and renewable energy sources, like photovoltaic solar, leads to great savings on the electric bill and is a highly sustainable option. 2. High energy efficiency equipment Many pieces of equipment used in the warehouse run on electricity or oil. Therefore, an important tip is: when replacing these pieces of equipment, look for more energy-efficient options. And when purchasing a new one, make sure it is used only when necessary and perform regular maintenance to ensure maximum efficiency. 3. Think about your packaging Using less packaging reduces waste. Additionally, more efficient packaging weighs less and costs less to ship. Consider switching from traditional packaging materials to biodegradable products. While materials made from synthetic plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose in landfills, biodegradable materials degrade in a few years. In conclusion: making your packaging more efficient and switching to biodegradable packaging materials significantly reduces waste and reduces the carbon footprint. Having a WMS system is also a way to use packaging efficiently. The system indicates the ideal packaging based on the size of each item and the order volume, relying on the use of the smallest size necessary to avoid waste and reduce costs. 4. Recycle, reduce, reuse If your warehouse doesn’t already recycle, start now. To this end, it is important to establish a waste sorting process, separating those that can be recycled. Additionally, you can also reuse a wide range of materials. More: choosing to use technologies, such as the WMS system, that reduce paper consumption, not only reduces excessive disposal but also leads to significant cost savings. An action also adopted by some companies is to encourage customers to return packaging for reuse or even to reuse packaging sent by suppliers. Whatever the initiatives, the environment will thank you! 5. Keep your stock organized Waste can also occur due to product damage or expiration dates. To prevent this from happening, always keep your warehouse organized, making good use of storage areas and following well-defined rules for stock rotation. The WMS can help you a lot in this, as the system manages addresses, coordinates movements, and tracks information for each item. With the system, losses are highly avoided. 6. Improve processes and reverse logistics Improving overall warehouse processes also helps reduce waste. Therefore, try to develop strategies that reduce product handling and movement, increase quality control, and improve reverse logistics. With WMS you will have a great ally to optimize such processes, making the best use of your warehouse resources. Green Warehouse: What It Is and How to Apply This Concept in Your Warehouse Deagor WMS per ecommerce può aiutarti!