How to Make Your Warehouse More Eco-friendly

With all the things going on with climate change and the environment, it is imperative to go green. Warehouses sustain the logistics industry and maintain the economy, but many warehouses create vast amounts of waste and consume too much energy. So, it is necessary to be more socially conscious by applying various green warehouse practices. And while it may seem like you will waste time and money going green, it will significantly benefit you in the long run.

Some green warehouse practices are expensive. However, when you compare the costs of those changes to your expenses without these changes, you can see that you can save significantly more by being more eco-friendly. On the other hand, you can do various green warehouse practices that will not take as much time or money as you may think. With that said, the following includes ways to make your warehouse more eco-friendly:‍

Go Paperless‍

Instead of using traditional invoices, more printer ink, toner, and copying paper, use digital options as much as you can. You can scan documents by using a handheld scanner or smartphone, and instead of using snail mail, you should use email as much as possible. Doing these and more will go a long way in helping with time and cost-efficiency.‍

Opt For Natural Lighting‍

With natural lighting, you can tremendously preserve energy. You can use double-pane glass, for instance, to maintain comfortability and insulation. If natural lighting is not an option, you can switch to LED lighting that uses 80 percent less energy than fluorescent or incandescent alternatives. LED bulbs also last a lot longer than other illumination types, thus reducing your waste and carbon footprint.‍

Polished Concrete Floors For Installation‍

Concrete is typically the flooring in warehouses. However, polished concrete requires no dangerous or harsh chemicals while applying or maintaining it. You don't have to worry about replacement or repair costs because it is resistant to damage due to its sealing. It is also denser than other types of flooring, so it is insulated.‍

Reduce Waste‍

Eliminating waste goes beyond tossing garbage. You can start by analyzing your current operational tasks to determine what you can do to reduce waste. Another great way to reduce waste is to use recycled pallets instead of new pallets, conserving precious natural resources and saving you money. Instead of paying your warehouse personnel to clean up broken pallets, you can order a free drop trailer pallet service. With this service, the pallet manufacturer leaves an empty trailer at your location to collect your broken pallets. When the trailer is full, they will swap it out with another empty trailer.‍

Better Insulation‍

You can eliminate drafts in the winter and keep the heat down in the summer by installing weatherstripping around windows and skylights and repairing or replacing ceiling insulation.‍

Packaging Upgrade‍

Using eco-friendly packaging as much as possible, such as biodegradable peanuts instead of Styrofoam, and corrugated paper bubble wrap instead of plastic, goes a long way.‍

Hydrogen Fuel Cell-Powered Forklifts‍

Traditional forklifts utilize lead-acid batteries that store electricity to power the machine. On the other hand, hydrogen fuel cell forklifts use hydrogen and don't release any harmful emissions. Hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklifts can be charged in five minutes or less, whereas conventional forklifts can take up to 30 minutes.

Hydrogen fuel cells typically have a usable life of 10 years, while traditional forklift batteries must be replaced every three to four years. Hydrogen fuel cells will reduce operating costs while improving productivity.‍

In Closing‍

By following the steps above, you will be on your way to running a more eco-friendly warehouse operation.