The supply chain can be a wasteful, resource-guzzling industry. We don’t mean to be harsh but think about it. Getting products from point A to point B requires travel. Travel requires a lot of different resources. For one, a single product can move via plane or marine vessel before getting distributed across the U.S. by barge, semi-truck, or rail. That’s a lot of fuel consumption!
Then consider packaging. Often times goods, usually smaller, are packaged with cardboard. What happens when that cardboard is no longer needed? Most often it’s tossed.
In fact, roughly 850 million tons of cardboard are thrown away in the United States annually – that’s about 1.4 million trees!
Needless to say, this is a significant impact on the environment. Outside of eliminating waste because we care about our planet, we at EASE have seen potential employees, partners, and customers take an interest in what we do to promote sustainability.
Sustainability, according to the EPA, is “Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment.”
To celebrate National Recycling Day on November 15 and our commitment to being environmentally-friendly, we want to highlight one of our newest sustainability ventures: a partnership with Pratt Industries to recycle the cardboard in our warehouse!
Implementing Sustainable Business Practices
The global green logistics market size is estimated to grow to USD 1481.5 Billion by 2028. That means more eco-friendly and sustainable processes aimed at reducing the environmental impact of logistics are going to continue to rise.
That’s why EASE is making a conscious effort to limit our waste and make the supply chain more regenerative and sustainable. At the start of 2022, we teamed up with Pratt Industries to bring us closer to our goal.
Pratt Industries has been America’s leading recycled paper and packaging company for more than 30 years. It is America’s fifth-largest corrugated packaging company and the world’s largest, privately held 100% recycled paper and packaging company, recognized globally for its sustainable and ethical business practices.
Pratt’s mission? To protect and nurture the planet’s natural resources while reducing the impact on the environment.
When Businesses Habitually Recycle, Everyone Benefits
Pratt manufactures 100% recycled content corrugated products. These products are recycled packaging with a few layers of material rather than just a single sheet like cardboard to add extra protection.
We’re Closing the Loop Between Recycling and Waste
EASE is known as a “close the loop” client, which means the recycled materials go to Pratt’s paper mill in Wapakoneta, Ohio, where it will be converted into paper that is used to be made into the brand new 100% recycled boxes that EASE sends to their customers.
EASE leased a baler from Olympic, a preferred supplier of Pratt’s, to compress used boxes into dense bales for easy transportation to Pratt. That cycle of purchasing, using, baling, and recycling boxes is closing the loop by eliminating trash. In other words, EASE buys new boxes made from old boxes, and we help keep the recycling process going!
“EASE is dedicated to the betterment of people and the planet. We recognize how much of an environmental impact our industry can have. It’s why we do our part to help make the supply chain regenerative and resilient. We’re always pushing for ways to reduce waste and restore or replenish underutilized or depleted resources.”
Abbi Failla, Director of Strategy & Innovation, EASE
How We’re Making an Impact
For each ton of Pratt boxes purchased, there’s an environmental impact. A typical truckload of baled corrugated boxes is 12 tons.
Bob Doebereiner, an account manager for Pratt Industries working closely with EASE, estimates that EASE has purchased 12-14 tons of boxes from Pratt since July 2022.
EASE’s Recycled Box Impact: July – November 2022
Each Day Is An Opportunity To Put Sustainability Into Practice
Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword. It’s a valid movement. It’s an opportunity to make a positive difference in our industry and, hopefully, well into the future.
And this isn’t a siloed effort. The entire industry is looking into sustainable business practices, including working with suppliers and partners who value sustainability. The MIT 2022 State of Supply Chain Sustainability (SCS) Report found that 23% of 3,300 respondents are under pressure from investors to improve SCS. In a survey of Investopedia and Treehugger readers, about 58% of respondents expressed increased interest in environmental, social, and governance (ESG). 67% of surveyed investors also said they plan to buy more shares of ESG-focused companies.
Stakeholders want to see more sustainable business practices. Refusing to do so could affect business – both your profit and in recruiting competitive talent, especially with the rise of Gen Z, who values sustainability.
Since our founding, EASE has been focused on doing and being better, which includes prioritizing recycling, going green, and implementing sustainability best practices.
If you want to learn more about what we’re doing for sustainability and how you can start working with us, GET IN TOUCH.
