Having groceries delivered can involve lower carbon-dioxide emissions than driving to the supermarket. That's the finding of a study that modeled Seattle-area households as grocery shoppers and delivery destinations. It found that carbon emissions could be cut by 20% to 75% using delivery trucks. Emissions plummeted by as much as 90% if the deliveries were routed for maximum efficiency—with full trucks and clustered customers—instead of being made at the convenience of individual households. In the simulation, delivery trucks cut emissions not just in dense urban areas, where delivery is thought most efficient, but in suburbs and rural areas as well. The researchers said their findings raise the question of whether governments should offer incentives for delivery as a way to reduce greenhouse gases.
"Evaluating the Efficacy of Shared-use Vehicles for Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions: A U.S. Case Study of Grocery Delivery," Erica Wygonik and Anne Goodchild, Journal of the Transportation Research Forum
No comments:
Post a Comment