BLOG HOME

  >  

Nowadays, soy is grown on a large scale around the globe. Since gaining popularity, soy has become one of the world’s most lucrative agricultural sectors. It’s extremely popular with vegans and health-conscious individuals, and as a result, its cultivation has increased.

As demand soars, soybean sustainability is an increasing priority for soy growers. As custodians of the land, farmers are adopting sustainable soy farming techniques such as reduced till, crop rotation, water and fertilizer management, cover crops, and precision farming technologies. These methods assist farmers in increasing their efficiency, crop production, and soy sustainability.

Implementing soy sustainability is one approach to making the world better and environmentally friendly. In this article, we look at seven reasons soy is environmentally friendly.

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/soy-hairs-pods-end-of-summer-964324/

1. Nitrogen Fixation

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is a characteristic shared by all legumes. It is the mechanism through which certain plants transform atmospheric nitrogen gas into nitrogen that the plant can use to thrive.

Soybeans are nitrogen-fixing plants. Most synthetic fertilizers used in crop cultivation include nitrogen, which promotes healthy growth and large harvests. Sustainable soysourced online from the U.S. Soy decreases the need for artificial fertilizers, which are frequently produced using fossil fuels and have significant adverse environmental effects such as water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

In addition, soy nitrogen fixation properties favorably impact both the economic and environmental aspects of production. It improves soil structure and fertility and boosts crop rotation output.


2. Soil Erosion

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/soy-soybean-floors-plantation-964327/


Soil erosion is a continuous process that happens when wind or water detaches and moves soil particles, resulting in soil degradation.

Soybeans form a denser and larger crop canopy cover, which helps to reduce soil sedimentation and erosion. The canopy’s ability to reduce the impact of pouring rainfall helps prevent soil detachment. Moreover, soy residue can create miniature dams that slow runoff and generate water pools that absorb rainfall energy, lowering soil particle detachment and transport.

Lastly, soy is an efficient cover crop when sown at the correct time. Cover crops are produced to protect soil integrity and avoid runoff from irrigation. Because arable soil is a limited resource, it is critical to prevent losing it to erosion and to maintain it as much as possible for as long as necessary.

3. Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Image source: https://pixabay.com/photos/plantation-soy-planting-grains-330234/


Farmers play an important role in lowering our carbon footprint by improving efficiency and soil management methods. According to studies, a reduction in soybean tillage, or soil disturbance, is a major factor for this improvement.

Tillage oxygenates the soil, accelerating the conversion of the soil carbon compound to CO2. And Without any plants growing, this carbon dioxide is discharged into the air. Reduced tillage helps the earth better balance its carbon release with its growing crops.

By employing these better farming techniques, the soy sector utilizes less gas-powered agricultural machinery, makes more economical use of every acre of cultivated land, and minimizes its CO2 emissions.

4. Biodegradability

We reside in a world of disposable plastic items, from cups to plastic utensils, containers, and bags. Yet, almost all disposable plastic products pose a serious environmental hazard since they do not biodegrade.

To combat this problem, the use of soy-based plastics is one of the solutions. Soy’s availability, abundance, thermoplastic properties, and biodegradability have all made it highly desirable for widespread use in the plastics industry.

Soy-based plastics are a practical and exciting ecologically friendly material for one-time or short-term plastic items, such as food containers, instead of the currently used nonbiodegradable plastics.


5. Biofuel

Businesses, governments, and organizations constantly advocate using biodiesels, such as soybean oil, as a replacement or blend for conventional petroleum-based diesel oil in automobiles, planes, and equipment. This is because biodiesel is a more environmentally friendly alternative to fuels obtained from fossil fuels.

Compared to fossil fuels, biodiesel generates lower emissions of particles, sulfur dioxide, and air toxins when burnt. Even biofuel-petroleum mixtures produce fewer emissions than fossil fuels alone.

As the need for fuel rises, so does the demand for soy or other plant-based biofuels, allowing farmers to lead biofuel innovation and contribute to providing green choices for consumers nationwide.


6. Water Usage

Image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/sprinkling-of-grass-land-during-dawn-2684805/


Water is becoming an increasingly important resource as the world becomes hotter and more water evaporates. How we use our water as a community and as individuals is an important aspect of conservation efforts. Thus, it is logical that our agricultural methods should prioritize sustainability regarding water utilization.

Sustainable soy production efficiently uses water depending on the soil and weather. Producing a ton of soybeans requires between 1,300 and 2,300 tons of water. This is about the same as sunflower and less than rapeseed plants which are some of the most efficient water users.

7. Land Usage

Land is a resource with limited availability. Therefore, the more it is needed, the higher the deforestation. How well the land is treated in terms of maintaining the nutrients and health in the soil and the sorts of pesticides used are all important for agricultural utility and efficiency.

Soy crops provide more usable kilograms of plant-based protein per hectare of farmland than rice and other legumes. In other words, cultivating soy requires less land to generate more proteins than cultivating other plant-based alternatives for the plant-based protein drink and powder sectors. Furthermore, soy produces far more protein per acre than dairy cows.

Wrapping Up

A growing population, climate changes, and heightened consumer awareness create new challenges and a larger need for sustainable food and energy. Environmentally sustainable consumer products like soy pave the path to substantial sustainability progress.

Fact: Nitrogen permeates slower and so retains tire pressure longer than oxygen.

solutions to saving energyThis is a guest post from Tim Smith. Tim writes about home improvement and energy efficiency for Modernize.

Government agencies and big industry face fleet-management problems that dwarf simple conservation techniques. Industry uses 25 percent of domestic energy for transportation costs, so finding holistic and sustainable solutions at all levels of manufacturing is essential for optimizing energy usage in the United States. Technologies that are changing the ways government and industry managers look at transportation and fleet management include hybrid cars, hybrid tires, cleaner biofuels, tanks that burn natural gas, hydrogen fuel cells and nitrogen tire inflation.

Reducing Fuel Consumption and Emissions

More people now live in urban areas than elsewhere, a dynamic that’s changed how people live, work and interact. Billions of people living in close proximity requires thoughtful solutions to reduce energy usage, lower harmful emissions and maximize limited resources.

Effects of Using High-purity Nitrogen in Tires

Nitrogen provides a sustainable solution for optimizing energy usage. Scientists and engineers have long known about the benefits of using pure nitrogen in tires, and the airline and NASCAR industries adopted the practice decades ago. Benefits of nitrogen inflation include:

● Delivering up to six percent better mileage than compressed air

● Reducing leakage from tires

● Minimizing rust in auto components, which is caused by the oxygen and moisture content of regular compressed air leaking from tires under high pressure

● Increasing lifespan of tires up to 30 percent by minimizing the harmful effects of oxygen on rubber

Bridgestone, Ford and Goodyear have conducted scientific research that proves nitrogen penetrates tires three or four times more slowly than corrosive air. Tires inflated with pure nitrogen get better mileage, deliver more even wear and increase auto safety.

Cutting-edge Companies and Technology

Businesses and government agencies can lead by example, and NitroFleet99 helps these companies adopt the technology, manage transportation fleets and invest in nitrogen-inflation technology that provides long-term cost and aesthetic benefits. About 70 percent of domestic fuel consumption is generated by the transportation industry, and fleets can save 6 percent in costs right off the top while reducing the 300 million abandoned tires each year by 30 percent.

Developing countries often have advantages when it comes to optimizing energy usage because it’s easier to design efficient systems from the gate than retrofit aging systems to reduce carbon footprints and maximize use of resources. Green transportation technologies for managing fleets are changing the dynamic, however, and companies like NitroFleet99 are providing new technologies that optimize energy use in holistic ways that cut energy use, reduce operating costs and minimize equipment wear. Working with senior management, the company helps its energy partners link energy practices with existing infrastructure and technologies, educate staff about energy savings opportunities and set realistic, evolving goals for reducing energy usage in all aspects of industry and transportation.

NitroFleet99, a company dedicated to the simple expedient of replacing the current tire-inflation systems with high-purity nitrogen, provides a working network of industry partnerships for exploring the benefits of using nitrogen in business and fleet-management applications. Safe, inexpensive and easy to maintain, tires inflated with nitrogen get better mileage and provide other holistic benefits. NitroFleet99 is working to establish a national infrastructure for inflating tires with pure nitrogen from coast to coast. Ideally, this innovation costs as little as $29.95 for filling four tires while generating substantial energy savings and longer lasting tires and auto components. Less wear means less waste in landfills from millions of pounds of rubber.

nitrogen tire inflation for managed fleetsWhen managed fleets consider adopting nitrogen tire inflation, the biggest question about the change is the return on investment. If we spend the money on a few nitrogen inflation carts and implement the process, then when will the machines pay for themselves? What benefits will the fleet specifically see from nitrogen, when air is already 78 percent nitrogen?

The main benefit of nitrogen tire inflation is that nitrogen maintains proper tire pressure for a longer period of time than regular air, leading to whole host of other benefits to your fleet. To explain these benefits and how they impact your bottom line, we’re going to go through our money saving calculator and explain each section and how a fleet saves money with each section.

Miles Driven Per Year

The average fleet vehicle drives between 15,000 and 20,000 miles per year, but the average for your fleet may be higher or lower, depending on a variety of factors. Our money saving calculator needs this figure to determine the savings from the next three sections. To clarify, this number refers to the average number of miles for one vehicle in your fleet, since our calculator determines the savings based on one vehicle. It doesn’t not calculate the savings for an entire fleet, although that is easy to figure out once the calculator has the savings for one vehicle. Obviously, the more miles driven in a year, the savings your managed fleet could see from nitrogen tire inflation.

Average Price of Gas Per Gallon

Currently, the average price for a gallon of gas is $3.68. For diesel fuel, the average price is $3.88 per gallon. Nitrogen tire inflation improves your fleet’s fuel efficiency by maintaining proper tire pressure for a longer period of time. Proper tire pressure, by itself, increases fuel efficiency by three percent. Three percent doesn’t seem like a big deal, but multiply that across your 50, 1000, or 10,000 fleet vehicles driving on under-inflated or over-inflated tires, and your managed fleet is wasting money in fuel.

MPG

According to the most recent statistics, the average miles per gallon for U.S. fleet vehicles is 23.2 mpg.  The average for all cars in the U.S. is 24.6 mpg. If you happen to know the average miles per gallon for your fleet, or have a way to come up with that number, then use that number in the calculator. Otherwise, you’re welcome to use the average numbers that we have provided.

Cost of a Full Set of Tires

For a fleet vehicle that has four wheels (versus an 18-wheeler or any other specialized fleet vehicle), the cost of full set of tires is about $600. Besides the four tires, this price also includes mounting and balancing, disposal of the old tires, alignment and the valve stems. Since nitrogen tire inflation improves tire life and tread wear (because nitrogen maintains proper tire pressure for a longer period of time, so the tread wears evenly versus just the middle or the outer edge), a managed fleet gets more out of each $600 purchase. The tires last longer, so a managed fleet gets more value for its money. Because the tires last longer, the $600 purchase needs to be made less often.

Conclusion

If we put the average numbers into the calculator to determine the savings with nitrogen tire inflation (20,000 miles, $3.68 per gallon, 24 mpg and $600), then the annual savings for one fleet vehicle using nitrogen tires is $150.09. For one vehicles, that’s not a whole lot, which is why we don’t focus on encouraging nitrogen tires in the consumer market (we won’t actively discourage it either, to be clear).

But, for a managed fleet of 1,000 vehicles, then the fleet can save $150,000 using nitrogen tire inflation. That is a substantial amount of savings, especially when the fleet considers how much it is currently spending on tires, fuel, maintenance, safety and anything else needed to keep the each of the fleet’s vehicles running. Even for a fleet of 100 vehicles, where the annual savings would only be $15,000, is still the equivalent of a part-time employee. Implementing a nitrogen tire inflation program into your managed fleet may cost $15,000, but it certainly isn’t going to cost $150,000, so the return on investment is clear.

photo credit: State Farm via photopin cc

nitrogen tire inflation factsNitrogen tire inflation isn’t a gimmick. Nitrogen tire inflation isn’t a scam to make money just because air is free. The paid version of a free product isn’t always a fraud to trick people into paying for a horrible product. Nitrogen tire inflation is the exact opposite and as “the paid version of air,” it offers both consumer drivers and managed fleets more value than air-inflated tires could ever provide.

To showcase this value, we’ve compiled 16 fast facts about nitrogen tire inflation, tire maintenance and fuel efficiency. The practice of nitrogen tires isn’t a gimmick. It’s a sustainable, working solution that addresses problems that put holes in people’s wallets, puts greenhouse gases into our atmosphere and puts lives at risk.

  1. 85 percent of American don’t check their tire pressure regularly
  2. 54 percent drive on at least one under-inflated tire
  3. Vehicles driving on under-inflated tires have are three times more likely to be involved in a car accident than vehicles with proper tire pressure.
  4. The likelihood of a tire-related crash increases as your tire tread wears.
  5. Nitrogen permeates tire walls up to four times slower than air. With regular air, tires will lose 1 to 2 psi over one months, versus the six months it takes a nitrogen tire to lose that same amount of pressure
  6. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in tire pressure
  7. Gas mileage can be improved by 3.3 percent by keeping tires inflated to proper pressure
  8. If 187 million vehicles improved their gas mileage by 3.3 percent, then the U.S would save over 3.7 billion gallons of gas in one year.
  9. 11 percent of our carbon emissions come from the transportation sector
  10. Over 300 million tires are disposed of annually in the U.S
  11. Nitrogen-inflated tires can reduce this amount by up to 30 percent
  12. Nitrogen reduces the chance of tire failure, such as a blowout, by 50 percent
  13. Nitrogen also increases tread life by up to 30 percent, improving the tire’s life and its grip to the road
  14. NASCAR, the airline industry, NASA, and the U.S military have all used nitrogen inflated tires for years
  15. It can take up to six months for a managed fleet to see the benefits of nitrogen tire inflation, but it only takes 30 to 60 days for a managed fleet to see the financial consequences of poorly-maintained and under-inflated tires.
  16. Companies such as Michelin, Ford, and Goodyear have publicly expressed their support
    for nitrogen tire inflation

Asking people to address these problems themselves by purchasing an air compressor, checking their tire pressure weekly, and topping off their tires themselves (unless you’re a managed fleet that pays people to do this for your vehicles) isn’t a good solution to reducing carbon emissions or to saving gas and gas money. A better solution is to change what’s going into people’s tires so the public doesn’t have to go through the hassle every week and so managed fleets can get more on their tire and fuel investments. A better solution is nitrogen tire inflation.

nitrogen tire inflation programPurchasing a nitrogen tire system is a big decision, and with that decision comes the process of getting started. This process can include educating and training employees, tracking your return on investment, additional maintenance checks, and watching for reduced costs in other parts of your organization. Getting started with nitrogen can be difficult, at least until all those aspects are worked out. Below is all the information you need to get you and your managed fleet started with nitrogen tire inflation: choosing a nitrogen system, implementing that system into your fleet, tracking your fleet’s carbon footprint, and how technology like nitrogen can reduce our country’s energy dependence and fix its infrastructure.

How to Implement a Nitrogen Tire Inflation Program into Your Fleet – Buying the nitrogen tire system is important, but more on that later. What you also need to know as a fleet manager is how to implement that system in your fleet, and change the behavior of your staff so that your nitrogen tires are most effective. This article outlines how to implement this program into your fleet and make nitrogen tires a tradition with your organization.

3 Effective Ways to Improve Fleet Safety – Improving fleet safety is huge toward the bottom line and the efficiency of managed fleets. Nitrogen tire inflation improve the fleet and driver safety, and is just one of the effective ways that you can put in place to day to improve your fleet’s safety.

How to Choose the Right Nitrogen Tire System for You – There are plenty of nitrogen tire systems available with a variety of sizes and features. How do you choose the best one for your fleet? This article covers the factors that are most important to consider before making your final purchase.

Managed Fleets and Ending America’s Dependence on Foreign Oil – Green technology like nitrogen tire inflation can end our dependence on foreign oil. Transportation fleets and the trucking industry doesn’t have to be the demons in America’s dependence on foreign oil, simply consuming energy to keep this country running. By utilizing green technology, they can be part of the solution as well.

How to Track Your Fleet’s Carbon Footprint – In order to practice sustainable fleet management, you need to track your fleet’s carbon footprint and take steps to reduce carbon emissions. Tracking your fleet’s carbon footprint will allow you to know exactly what your carbon emission is and offer ideas on how to cut those emissions. You can’t improve what you can’t measure.

Hybrid Tires and a Network of Nitrogen Services – Transportation accounts for almost 70% of  the fuel consumption in the US. Nitrogen services can change that by turning tires into hybrid tires, and a network of nitrogen services can enable cross-country vehicles to top off their tires with nitrogen. They can also ensure consistent tire maintenance, no matter where a truck or managed fleet vehicle stops for a routine check.

5 Great Fleet Vehicle Picks – Good fleet management includes picking the right vehicles for your fleet. After all, nitrogen tire inflation isn’t the only way to improve the sustainability of your fleet vehicles. Here are 5 great fleet vehicle choices that add to your bottom line.

How the Cost of Carbon Affects the Trucking Industry – Climate change is much more than severe weather. It’s also about the economic costs that hit hard and affect everyone, as illustrated by the $65 billion in economic damages caused by Hurricane Sandy alone. Learn how the trucking industry can contribute to reducing climate change and the cost of carbon.

photo credit: DiamondBack Truck Covers via photopin cc

nitrogen inflationThis is a guest post from Andre Smith.

Nitrogen inflation has become increasingly popular in the last ten years. Many industry experts praise it for its promise of increased fuel economy and reduced tire wear, while others raise questions about the actual usefulness and credibility. With fuel prices as high as ever and many consumers and businesses cutting back on costs, nitrogen inflation can seem like an enticing endeavor. While nitrogen inflation can in fact promote efficiency, it is important to have all the correct information on why it is beneficial.

Common Myths About Nitrogen Inflation

There is no need to do pressure checks on tires inflated with nitrogen.

False. While nitrogen does in fact take longer to leak out of inflated tires, tires inflated with nitrogen should still be checked regularly for proper pressure. Divers should notice that their pressure checks come back positive more often than using regular air and the amount of pressure maintenance that needs to be done will most likely be reduced. Nitrogen, however, is still prone to malfunctions in the actual tires such as leaks in the valve stem or a punctures.

Nitrogen inflation can increase fuel economy and tire life.

Because nitrogen inflation promotes properly pressurized tires by eliminating the leaky oxygen in air, nitrogen inflation can in fact promote better fuel economy and more even tire wear. These factors, however are associated directly with the proper tire pressure regardless of composition. Nitrogen inflation provides a more convenient way to keep the pressure ideal.

There is no benefit to inflating with nitrogen as air is already 78.1% nitrogen.

Air is in fact already 78.1% nitrogen. During actual nitrogen inflation, however, the current air in the tire is removed and replaced with clean nitrogen at a concentration of 94% or more. This purging of air also removes any water vapor, oil contaminants, and particles that may be in the tire. The higher concentration of nitrogen is what promotes a slower deflating tire not the nitrogen itself.

Nitrogen Inflation Research

The idea of nitrogen inflation dates back to as early as 1968 when a man by the name of Dr. Larry Sperberg came up with the concept of “chemical degradation,” where a tire wears from the inside out. He found that air from compressor tanks was introducing the tires to air that was full of moisture. According to Sperberg the moisturized air makes its way into the tire cord body and causes heat and expansion. By using nitrogen that is dry and clean this expansion and degradation is decreased significantly.

Nitrogen’s advantage over oxygen when used as a way to inflate tires lies within its chemical structure. Nitrogen molecules are larger than oxygen molecules. As a result, nitrogen does not pass through the inner liner or sidewalls of a tire as easily. In addition, nitrogen is dry and inert. This allows tires to run cooler and reduces degradation.

Additional Benefits of Nitrogen Inflation

Being green has never been more important. In addition to investing in a fuel efficient or hybrid vehicle, inflating with nitrogen can make that vehicle even greener. Nitrogen inflation promotes better fuel economy and can reduce tire wear. By decreasing these you are keeping more emissions out of the air and more tires out of landfills. More information on automobiles being green can be had at Klosters’ website.

How Do I Use Nitrogen On My Vehicle?

There are a few ways to have your tires inflated with nitrogen. Nitrogen inflation requires a special system in order for the current air in the tire to be purged and then refilled with a high concentration of nitrogen. Many automotive dealers will provide this service. There are also kits available for purchase that allow for you to have access to nitrogen inflation at anytime.

In Conclusion

While nitrogen inflation is not a “cure all,” solution for pressurized automotive tires, it does provide some worthy advantages. Because of it’s chemical structure, nitrogen is scientifically more capable of providing longer lasting pressure directly resulting in better fuel economy and tire life. As this becomes a rising concern, implementation of nitrogen in automotive tires will most likely continue to rise.

nitrogen tire inflation myths paper

nitrogen tire inflation systemPurchasing a nitrogen tire inflation system is a big deal. Not only is it a large investment, but not all systems are created the same. Choosing the right system that will serve your managed fleet to your needs requires knowing several factors in how you will use the nitrogen tire system and how quickly you need to service each vehicle. Here’s how to choose the right nitrogen tire inflation system for your managed fleet:

Number of Vehicles

The number of vehicles not only determines how many nitrogen carts and how much nitrogen capacity you need, but you also need to know if you plan to fill every vehicle or if you plan to fill two or more vehicles at a time. Systems come in various sizes and capacities, so you need to consider the number of tires you’ll be servicing each month as well as if you plan to service multiple vehicles at once. Knowing this will ensure that you purchase a system that can handle the volume of your fleet at a speed that works for your drivers and maintenance crew.

Space and Mobility

With your nitrogen tire system, you need to know which characteristic is more important for your overall fleet management. If space is tight, then you probably don’t want a system that is too large or has too many hose reels that require additional storage space. You may not necessarily want a mobile nitrogen tire program, as you may not have the space to move the carts around so they can reach every single tire. Of course, if you have the space, then mobility might be a more convenient option.

Naturally, you’ll need to balance space and mobility with the number of vehicles you plan to service. Mobile may be tougher to have it you’re servicing over 1200 tires per month, but could be a nice alternative in case a vehicle just needs to be topped off and doesn’t need a full maintenance check. But, mobile is easier if you have a small fleet and are capable of handling more individualized service and maintenance for your fleet vehicles.

Purchase for Future Use

A nitrogen tire inflation system may be a hesitant purchase for many managed fleets, since the practice is brand new and not something that’s already been tested with the fleet. This may lead to a hesitant purchase, one that doesn’t include the ability to scale or to consider future use in terms of servicing larger or additional vehicles. For some managed fleets that aren’t projecting or planning to increase the size of their fleets, purchasing a system that meets current needs isn’t a bad idea. However, there are instances where purchasing for future need is a good idea. If your company is planning to purchase more, or bigger, fleet vehicles in 2014, or if you’re going to add nitrogen tire programs to other locations or maintenance centers, then doing a bulk purchase may be smarter and better for the bottom line.

Related Links:

How to Implement a Nitrogen Tire Inflation Program into Your Fleet

3 New Year’s Resolutions for Managed Fleets

How to Track Your Fleet’s Carbon Footprint

nitrogen tire inflation myths paper

new years resolutions for managed fleetsThe first full week of 2014 is almost over, and resolutions may seem like a tradition that companies don’t normally do, this doesn’t mean that your managed fleet can’t have one or two goals for the year. After all, setting out to make this year better than last year isn’t a bad idea, and setting a fleet management resolution can help you do that. Here are three New Year’s resolutions for managed fleets:

Improve Safety and Compliance

Improving safety and compliance could mean tackling a variety of issues. For some fleets, improving safety could mean working with drivers to reduce accidents. For others, it could mean working on maintenance so vehicles don’t cause problems for drivers. Some managed fleets may decide to work on safety training and policies. Whichever way you choose to improve safety and compliance, it’s certainly a resolution on every managed fleet’s list, as these statistics show:

  • Drivers age 36-45 had the highest rate of accidents in 2011
  • The time of day with the highest rate of accidents is from 11 a.m.-12 p.m.
  • 86% of drivers drink and eat while driving
  • 77.7% of accidents occur on clear, sunny days – This one doesn’t necessarily mean weather isn’t a safety issue. It could mean that many fleets avoid driving in severe weather as a safety precaution, or reduce the number of vehicles on the road. It could also mean that drivers get more cautious as the weather worsens, lessening the chance of accident because they are paying much more attention to their surroundings.

Improve the Bottom Line

Reducing costs/increasing revenue is one of the biggest challenges facing fleet managers. It’s a constant struggle as some of these costs and revenue sources, such as fuel costs, are outside your control. The economy can also make a big impact, affecting the overall business climate as well  as the willingness of customers to continue services. Improving revenue and/or reducing costs could also mean targeting a specific problems, such as improving driver productivity, improving driver retention, lowering insurance costs, and improving route efficiency.

Overall, improving the bottom line is a balancing act where everyone needs to be kept happy as initiatives are put into place. You may want to reduce vehicle acquisition costs, for example, but you also need to purchase vehicles that your drivers will like to use. You also don’t want to invest in an initiative that doesn’t equate to savings, or recoup its investment fast enough.

Improve Your Carbon Footprint

The most effective way to improve your carbon footprint is to work on your fuel efficiency. That’s what Midwest retailer Meijer did, and credits its 60% carbon footprint reduction to fuel efficiency and the implementation of the EPA’s near-zero emission standards. Because of these efforts, Meijer is now the largest all-clean diesel fleet in North America.

Fuel efficiency isn’t the only way to improve your carbon footprint. If your fleet is growing over the next 12 months, then you can consider great fleet vehicle picks such as hybrid or electric vehicles as they would reduce your footprint. Your fleet could also start by coming up with metrics to measure your carbon footprint. You can’t improve what you can’t measure, and unlike safety and revenue, the carbon footprint doesn’t easily come with data and indicators to show you who well you’re doing.

Although there are many ways to meet these resolutions over the next 12 months, there is only one way that can accomplish all of them: nitrogen tire inflation. Putting nitrogen in your tires improves safety and compliance by keeping tires at proper pressure and tire for longer periods of time. This decreases the chances of a blowout. Having tires at proper tire pressure for longer periods of time improves your bottom line by reducing your fuel and maintenance costs. You’re no longer wasting gas and reducing tire life because your vehicles have under-inflated tires. Nitrogen tire inflation also improves your carbon footprint because there will be fewer tires in landfills and less gas used in the long run. All of that is great for the environment.

nitrogen tire inflation white paper cta


Nitronomics Blog: Save Money & the EnvironmentGoNitroTire on Facebook
© 2008 All rights reserved GoNitro Inc. (dba GoNitroTire) Privacy Policy
Duplication of any portion of this website without prior written consent from GoNitro Inc. is prohibited.