Tag Archive for ‘sustainability’

Earth Day — Celebrate Your Progress toward Improving the Environment

On Earth Day, it seems quite appropriate to reflect on Con-way’s sustainability efforts and how we fit into the goals (and the politics) of today’s environmental movement. As a framework, we must acknowledge that our primary business is dependent on petroleum and will be for quite some time. As a result, we are not going [...]

Why It’s Never Been More Important to Take Stock of Your Sustainability Program

Companies adopt environmental sustainability programs mostly for one of three reasons: the customer asks for it, the government mandates it one way or another or the market demands it to remain competitive. But how do you know if the results of your green programs are measuring up? And how do you know if you are [...]

The US DOT’s Disappointing Strategic Plan

At a time when it is increasingly acknowledged that the federal government is on an unsustainable fiscal course, you would think the first thing a cabinet agency’s new strategic plan would do is attempt to figure out which of its historical functions are truly federal and should be continued. But that sort of prioritization is [...]

How the Post 9/11 World Has Made Supply Chain Design More Complex – Going Beyond Lean

More than eight years later, the events of 9/11 continue to have a game-changing effect on supply chain design and how global commerce functions. New concerns and opportunities, such as sustainability and the increasing availability of real time data, may also affect the way supply chains are designed.  It has become an increasingly complex activity, [...]

Port Trucking Proposal Threatens Deregulation

A long-running battle over reducing diesel emissions from port drayage trucks has turned into a serious threat to nearly 30 years of trucking deregulation. Several years ago an alliance of union and environmental groups threatened to make it politically impossible for the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach to expand unless they cracked down [...]

FRA Fuel Efficiency Study Lacks Real-World Merits

The recent fuel efficiency report by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) derives conclusions that may look good on paper, but they offer limited real-world application and misrepresent the ability of railroads to provide a more fuel efficient alternative to trucking. While there is clearly some competition between trucks and railroads, the two modes of transportation [...]

‘Greener’ Transportation Shouldn’t Jeopardize Highway Fund

In their discourse over climate change legislation, lawmakers continue to propose reduced vehicle travel as a strategy to lower fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The transportation industry must further its commitment to the environment, but impeding our nation’s mobility by enacting policies to limit growth in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) should not be [...]

How Would Cap and Trade Affect Transportation?

Cap and trade, as envisioned by the Obama Administration and Congressmen Waxman and Markey, will do grave damage to all transportation sectors. While the Administration proposed a 14% reduction in greenhouse gas levels by 2020 from 2005, the Waxman/Markey draft bill mandates a 20% reduction, going to a 42% reduction by 2030.

Green Packaging – Going Green without Seeing Red

Many consumer products companies are adopting new “green” product shipping packaging that is lighter, takes up less space and consumes fewer natural resources. From a sustainability perspective the benefits certainly seem clear.