It is no news that the number of warehouses scattered across the supply chain has increased drastically. The reason for this is because of the increase in the demand for goods worldwide. The most exciting part is that the cost of construction and operation of these buildings totals about 30% of global energy. This goes on to question how sustainable warehouses could get to keep global energy consumption at a minimum.
If you are a warehouse owner or you are planning on constructing one, you should consider green warehousing as your contribution to making the environment as sustainable as possible. This process is generally regarded as green warehousing. The Justchinait have been known to consume energy, but as more warehouses consider green warehousing, the concept of sustainability in the supply chain and e-commerce community gets more attention.
Top 5 sustainable warehouse practices
Learning to cultivate a sustainable environment could begin with your warehouse construction. If you adopt green warehousing practices, then you can be sure the energy consumption level drops by a considerable percentage.
Below are some of those sustainable practices you can adopt.
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Waste management:
Proper waste management is one of the most important factors to consider when it comes to green warehouse practices. Instead of burning these wastes, you can use recyclable packages to bag them. However, if the packages are not recyclable, try composting or upcycling, as they are other sustainable means of managing waste. One of the most environmentally degrading practices is the burning of waste or disposing of waste in large water bodies. It is your responsibility as a warehouse owner to keep the environment as eco-friendly as possible, and that could begin with your waste management practices.
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Recycle and reuse:
This is one of the golden rules of sustainability. The concept of recycling and reuse makes it possible to achieve sustainability even in the supply chain ecosystem. One of the simplest means of reducing your carbon footprint is by using reusable materials like plastic for your storage facilities, amongst others. However, in a bid to move into more sustainable warehousing, you must take time to map out your plans. Various questions must be asked and answers provided. Some of these will include what the warehouse will hold. What are the products to be stored? And how long are the products expected to remain in the warehouse before being transported to the final consumer? Other questions need to be answered depending on your industry and its output.
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Adopt the use of high-efficiency lighting:
With the invention of highly efficient LEDs, there’s no use for lamps of high-capacity lamps and fluorescents as they tend to consume more power compared to the LEDs. So, if you are considering constructing a warehouse and you want a green warehouse, you must understand the importance of lighting around the facility. The more the lights, the easier it is to navigate the warehouse. So, lightning is an essential aspect of warehouse construction. One of the reasons why China warehouse services stand out amongst others is partly because of the aesthetics these LED lights bring to the warehouse. Apart from it being sustained as it doesn’t consume energy like the fluorescent, it adds beauty to the ambiance of the facility. They also save your electricity bills and last longer when compared to lamps.
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Use electric forklifts:
Yes, there are electric cars and trucks. All of which are contributing to the sustainability of the environment. If you want to go green, especially for your warehouse and warehouse construction, you should consider using electric forklifts. The total power needed to power them is about 24 volts, while some have about 80 volts. It’s purely electric as you have zero use for fuel and gas, and since it’s electricity, it means zero carbon footprints and zero emissions. So, if you plan to go green with your warehouse construction or you already have a warehouse and you want to go green, consider switching from propane-consuming forklifts to electric ones.
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Solar panels are green:
In a bid to go green globally, the popularity of solar panels has increased, and it continues to enjoy tremendous growth across the globe. It is by all means the most renewable and reliable natural energy source. Adding these solar panels to your green warehouse allows you to store a tremendous amount of energy for daily usage throughout the facility. The number of panels to be installed will then depend on the workload you’ll be subjecting the solar panels to. The larger the power consumption, the stronger the solar panels installed. With solar panels installed in your warehouse, you need not worry about electricity bills, as all of your energy usage is powered by the sun. So, if you want to enjoy green warehousing to the fullest, consider from the onset of construction to adopt PV panels as a means of renewable energy for your warehouse facility.