These days, environmental awareness is no longer optional. Instead, it is a fundamental prerequisite for every business at every level to fully consider the environmental implications of everything it does. And not only consider them, but work towards building and operating a ‘greener’ business in general.

In terms of warehousing, there’s quite a lot that can be done to contribute to the cause. While it’s true to say that going green has a habit of bringing with it quite a lot of initial expense, it generally also means significant on-going reductions in operational costs. So while you have to fork out in the immediate moment, you’re compensated generously over the long-term.

So with this in mind, what are a few of the more popular ways and means by which a warehouse can get on board with eco-consciousness?

Electric Forklifts

Well, first of all there’s the option of getting rid of petrol powered forklifts and other heavy machinery, in order to be replaced by more economical battery-powered alternatives. Advancements in electronic forklift technology have been nothing short of extraordinary over recent years, resulting in the kind of environmentally friendly warehouse machinery that’s also easier to use, more efficient and cheaper to run.

Streamlining Pallet Movement

Another option for improving the environmental friendliness of a warehouse is to simply reduce the amount of work that has to be done. For example, you may have a current system that involves taking pallets from a loading dock to a shelf, then to another shelf, then to a separate area of the warehouse, then somewhere else to be loaded onto a vehicle. If this process could be streamlined as is the case with efficient cross-docking strategies, it reduces the work that needs to be carried out and therefore means reduced energy consumption. Research suggests that most warehouses could stand to take a look at their own process efficiency, in order to implement improvements where necessary.

Reuse Materials

From packaging materials to office supplies to damage to pallets and everything else besides, there is almost always plenty of use left in the kinds of materials that would usually go in the bin. Pallets in particular have a thousand and one creative uses these days and can almost always be donated if no suitable purpose can be found for them around the warehouse. As for packaging materials, recycling and reusing them is not only environmentally friendly, but could also save your business as a whole plenty of money long-term.

Go Paperless

Last but not least, while more businesses than ever before are going almost completely paperless, it is a trend that has taken some time to filter into the warehouse. From emails to digital inventory systems and pretty much everything else besides, it’s never been easier to do away with paper almost entirely – thus doing away with excessive waste at the same time.