As part of our method of working we use 3 diesel vehicles to collect waste timber from construction and manufacturing sites. We are aware that NOx emissions are harmful to the environment and have been looking at ways to reduce this. We have not been able to find alternatively powered commercial vehicles that have the load capacity we require. Until such vehicles become available we have looked at other ways to cut the number of journeys undertaken.
We ask potential customers to send photos of the wood to be collected, this way we can give quotes or call them back to discuss details of the job without having to visit the site.
Where possible we will only collect sites with a full load or try to combine small jobs in a ’round robin’ collection.
Then we thought about Carbon Offsetting our emissions, after EasyJet https://www.easyjet.com/en/sustainability and British Airways announced they would carbon offset domestic flights from 2020. In looking at the detail though it is not that simple. These companies are investing in schemes to reduce emissions elsewhere and investing in low carbon infrastructure projects. They will be reducing emissions eg. by installing lightweight seats, not removing emissions. Investing in reforestation schemes, while noble in principal, comes with their own issues in terms of location, suitability and long-term committment.
There is a UK based organisation that plants trees, by encouraging people to volunteer with them and join in the tree planting http://www.treesponsibility.com/ . By planting native species and using them as a means of flood mitigation, this scheme would appear more favourable than a scheme which plants trees overseas?
Until zero carbon commercial vehicles are availble to us, we will continue to reduce the jouneys undertaken by us and drive responsibly.