UPS to increase its fuel fleet by 30%

UPS is expected to expand its fleet of alternative technology by up to 30%. The US parcel delivery giant is due to achieve this by the use on a single large investment in compressed natural gas systems. UPS has said it plans to build up to 15 additional natural gas (CNG) refuelling throughout the US.

Michael Nichols, UPS Senior Vice President of Transportation and Engineering, has said: "Today's CNG announcement demonstrates UPS's plans to expand use of widely available natural gas. CNG is an important building block in our long-term fleet strategy and offers environmental and economic advantages."

UPS already has 8 existing CNG fuel stations situated in California, Colorado, Georgia and Oklahoma, in addition to operating CNG vehicles in Germany, the Netherlands and Thailand. The deployment of the new CNG vehicles will be within 15 US cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Kansas, Pennsylvania and Louisiana.

UPS has already reduced its use of conventional fuel by 34 million gallons since the year 2000, however the new CNG investment is anticipated to displace the use of 54 million gallons of conventional diesel and gasoline in a year.

Unilever and EU commission embark on new sustainability project

Unilever is going to embark on a new project which will see the company introduce new transport management scheme. 

The main goal is to reduce carbon emissions and the impact that Unilever's supply chain network has on European roads. Together with the EU Commission, Unilever plans to establish a new transport hub network across the European continent. It will be co-managed by Unilever's main centre operations centre in Katowice, Poland. 

"This project is a major step forward in the delivery of Unilever Sustainable Living Plan. Reducing the number of kilometres the number of kilometres that our trucks will need to travel will result in a significant reduction in the environmental impact of our supply chain operations. But the business benefits of this initiative are equally important and they demonstrate, once again, the business case for driving sustainability into our business", said Jan Zijderverld, President of Unilever Europe.

Unilever intends to reduce its carbon emission to the same or even below the ones of 2010 by 2020. The project will also see the annual removal of 154,000 truck voyages from the Brussels-Warsaw route and 260,000 between the cities of Berlin and Brussels. 

EU funding will be provided as part of the Marco Polo programme - one of whose main concern is traffic avoidance.

FedEx and NFWF donate grants to support environmental sustainability

Once again the FedEx Corp. has supported environmental projects. Together with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), FedEx is going to give grants worth $400,000 in total to local non-profit organisations across 14 major U.S. cities.

The world’s largest express courier service operator has agreed to hand out grants worth $12,000 to $40,000 for each of the 15 chosen projects in order to maximise its philanthropic volunteer resources.

Mitch Jackson, FedEx vice president, environmental affairs and sustainability, said that

“working alongside NFWF in the vital task of urban ecological preservation and restoration provides a unique opportunity  for FedEx team members to play an active role in addressing these challenges and improving the communities where they live and work.”

Not only will the express courier offer its financial support to these thriving, eco-conscious organisation but its own team members will be working actively alongside NFWF grant recipients. Together they will plant trees, clear invasive plants and restore waterfronts.

You can find a detailed description of three of the 15 awarded environmental projects attached below.

1) Philadelphia

The Partnership for Delaware Estuary Inc. has been awarded a $26,173 grant by the NFWF and FedEx Corp. Volunteers and students will plant treed in an on-campus rain garden at a public school. This will help with the improvement of outdoor activities as well as better the health of local rivers such as the Wissahickon Creek, Delaware and Schuylkill River.

2) Pittsburgh

The South Side Trail is a very popular walking, jogging and cycling path. With the help of FedEx Corp. and NFWF the Tree Pittsburgh initiative has been granted $12,610 to plant 400 trees along this beautiful path to make it even more enjoyable and environmentally sustainable. 

3) Washington, D.C.

In order to protect the native Anacostia River, volunteers and students will clean the water and recover shores by clearing the site from rubbish and transplanting the aquatic plant, Nuphar. To finance the Anacostia Watershed project, FedEx has donated $25,000.

For more information please visit news.van.fedex.com.

Pinterest | Parcel Packaging Ideas

Trouble with your parcel packaging? This week we’ve compiled a list of innovative packaging ideas. No matter if you wish to send a gift or business consignment, the following designs range from crafty and vintage to eco-friendly and classic looks. 

Please note:
Before you start to wrap your parcel, make you to read through your carrier’s packaging guidance. Print it out if you like and tick off each of the given points to avoid bad surprises from the customs office. 

Below, you will find a selection of our favourite Pinterest parcel packaging ideas. We hope that these clever designs will inspire you to make your parcels to look extraordinary and unique. Your receiver may be surprised. 

Sources: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 and #9.