On this episode of Net-Zero Carbon, Danny Gomez officially hands over hosting duties to a familiar face. Tyler Cole, previously the director of carbon intelligence at FreightWaves, returns to hosting duties for Net-Zero Carbon. The pair discussed and debated lessons learned in the field of sustainable freight and logistics over the last year.
They reflected on the data and insights they’ve gained working together on the show. Cole said he hopes the show will “create space for people to explore ways to create lasting impacts that are good for both profits and bottom lines for businesses but also do good for the planet.”
Gomez referenced a recent Net-Zero Carbon episode with Link Logistics in which the CEO said the company is focusing on itself first. As Link Logistics learns how to become more sustainable, it can share that knowledge with customers and beyond, he said.
Gomez said to “measure emissions first” is another way of saying companies should start by understanding and working on their own emissions and operations. That also helps companies build credibility in terms of sustainable progress.
“There are leaders who are blazing a trail for others” and trying to move standards toward some uniformity to cascade down supply chains, Cole said. But it is a fragmented, volatile market with sometimes very small margins.
“The most discouraging thing I’ve seen is that even though we know it’s important, it’s not in the top three things people care about,” Cole said. “That’s got to change before we see some serious impact.”
Gomez and Cole discussed how it’s still early days in the transition to more sustainable freight markets. However, customers and investors are increasingly demanding sustainable supply chains.
“You’ve got so many pressures making companies start to rethink the way they’re operating that I’m hopeful that the growing conditions are right for a lot of these solutions that just haven’t been able to scale in the past,” Cole said.
They talked about how people want to work for companies that are acting on climate change, and it can help improve employee retention.
Carbon offsets, sustainable fuels
Gomez said he was initially skeptical about using carbon credits to offset emissions. But since his time talking with people on the show and learning more about it, he said he thinks carbon credits can be a useful tool out of many to help deal with climate change.
“It sounds like alternative fuels are one of the best solutions on the table today,” Gomez said. There are some questions about supply and costs, but those drop-in fuels that are carbon-neutral or zero-emission fuels have large potential.
Cole said the financial sector’s support for alternative, low-carbon fuels has grown significantly, and that is promising.
View all of FreightWaves’ Net-Zero Carbon episodes and sustainability stories.
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