DRIVE MY CAR

Logistics Insight Asia, 1/5/2008

Ex-Beatle Paul McCartney was in the news again recently. The long-time advocate of once alternative pursuits such as vegetarianism and environmental activism was selected by Japanese car manufacturer Lexus to receive its flagship LS600H hybrid vehicle asa gift.

Combining a traditional petrol engine with a high output electric motor and large capacity battery pack reduces the luxury car’s C0₂ output to around half those of a comparatively sized vehicle. Baby you can drive my (green) car, indeed.

All well and good, except for one thing. Instead of being shipped by sea, the eco-friendly car was fl own all the way from Japan to Britain on a rather less than eco-friendly cargo plane. McCartney was reportedly “horrified” to learn of the mode of delivery.

And he has good reason to be. According to carbon off setting firm CO2balance.com, the plane trip created a carbon footprint of 38,000 kg of CO₂, which compares to just 397 kg that a sea journey would have generated. “It’s the equivalent of driving the car six times around the world,” said Mike Rigby of CO2balance.com. The furor surrounding this incident is itself instructive.

A few years ago, no-one would have likely cared. Carbon footprint? What’s that all about? But times have changed, and far from being a fringe pursuit, concerns over the environment and what we’re all doing it have risen to the top of individual and corporate mindsets.

“Sustainability is certainly high on everyone’s agenda right now,” said Maersk Logistics regional head Tony Hotine when I spoke to him earlier this month. Maersk has introduced CarbonCheck, a specialist consulting service for analyzing the total carbon footprint of a client’s supply chain. Hotine points to carbon emission reduction initiatives that have produced commensurate lowering of logistics costs. Feel good and save money at the same time – what could be better!

Meanwhile, in April, software company ILOG launched a carbon footprint extension to its network design and planning solution, LogicNet Plus. The aim is to help companies evaluate the impact of various supply chain network configurations and transportation strategies on their carbon footprint, and so facilitate green supply chain initiatives.

And with logistics companies themselves being under the spotlight, TNT has just announced the introduction of 100 electric delivery trucks in the UK, China, and Australia. “Greening our road fleet is a must to achieve TNT’s quest to become the first zero emissions express and mail company,” proclaimed CEO Peter Bakker.