Like many other industries in today’s
global economy, environmental responsibility is an issue that the entire supply chain has both progressively and collectively embraced.
In light of the financial fuel crisis currently
crippling the industry, airlines have desperately been searching for ways to reduce
their fuel consumption, and it’s no surprise
that their efforts have led them to a greener
doorstep.
“Going green has resulted in a double win
for the forwarding community,” says Joseph
Hoban, director of international air services
for AIT Worldwide Logistics. “The airlines
have significantly reduced fuel consumption, thereby drastically lowering operating
costs while simultaneously supporting the
industry’s need to reduce harmful emissions
and preserve the environment.”
It is this mutually beneficial duality that
has prompted all modes of transport —
trucking, rail, ocean and air — to take
proactive measures in minimizing the global supply chain’s collective impact on the
environment.
Smart Business asked Hoban to discuss
how the air cargo industry is playing its role
in the eco-friendly movement with great,
“green” gusto.
What factors contribute to the success of the
‘going green’ movement?
While there’s no precise moment in time
or defining incident when the so-called
‘green light’ went off and the industry
scrambled to become environmentally conscious, I am confident that the groundswell
stemming from individual involvement is
the driving force behind the movement’s
phenomenal success.
Al Gore’s highly publicized, award-winning efforts in the movement undoubtedly
brought about an increased level of visibility and heightened awareness among the
general public. Sparked by insatiable interest, individuals brought the hot-button issue
to work with them, initiating watercooler
conversations centered on the topic, thus
driving the ‘greening’ of their behaviors into
their own homes and organizations.
Quite simply, this isn’t a corporate initiative
being imposed on employees — rather, it’s been fueled by individuals who are feeling compelled enough to ask, ‘What can I do?’
Discuss the industry’s current ‘going green’
efforts.
Like IT improvements, ISO and other standards that customers demand, going green
has quickly become the cost of doing business in today’s world. Because it has transformed into one of the minimum expectations of the global consumer marketplace,
customers are inquiring what our industry is
doing to decrease our carbon footprint. In
looking at the supply chain as one green line
from door-to-door, they are opting to partner with and support the companies who
align themselves with green initiatives.
Whether it involves powering aircraft with
fuel derived from algae, coordinating test
flights using biofuels or purchasing carbon
offsets to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions, the airline industry is taking various
measures, all in the name of ‘greening’ the
operations of its business.
In addition to replacing planes with more
fuel-efficient aircraft, the airlines have
begun taking measures on a smaller scale,
all contributing to the much larger picture:
less fuel-burning holding patterns, using one
engine to taxi the aircraft, towing from the
gate and less idling, among a variety of other
eco-friendly tactics.
Organizations have also implemented programs encouraging the industry’s ‘going
green’ efforts. For example, the eFreight initiative introduced by IATA (International Air
Transport Association) aims to free our
industry processes of paper documents,
while the SmartWay Transport Partnership
led by the Environmental Protection
Agency aims to reduce between 33 and 66
million metric tons of CO2 emissions and up
to 200,000 tons of nitrogen dioxide emissions per year.
Are you encouraged or discouraged by the
‘going green’ trends you see in the industry
today?
I am encouraged by the ‘going green’
trends I’ve closely examined and observed
in this industry. These trends demonstrate
that we are a vital component of the global
village. Rather than standing on the sidelines and pointing fingers or playing the
proverbial blame game, we are taking an
active role in promoting the planet. Not only
are we recognizing the fact that we’re
depositing vapor trails and contributing to
the harmful emissions lingering in the
atmosphere, but we’re actually doing something about it.
I am, however, discouraged by the companies out there who are only greening
their business for the sake of survival and
profitability — their true heart is not vested
in the cause. In a perfect world, these
companies would be motivated by more
altruistic intentions; however, the positive
results and necessary progress remain consistent, regardless of their incentive to rally
around the cause and receive the ‘green’
thumb of approval from their customers
and counterparts.
JOSEPH HOBAN is director of international air services for AIT Worldwide Logistics, Inc., headquartered in Itasca, Illinois. Spanning
numerous nationwide locations and an ever-increasing network of international partnerships, the global transportation and logistics
provider delivers tailored solutions for a wide variety of vertical markets and industries. Reach him at [email protected] or
(800) 669-4AIT (4248).
