scholarly journals Trends of Environmentally Sustainable Solutions of Urban Last-Mile Deliveries on the E-Commerce Market—A Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 5894
Author(s):  
Magdalena Mucowska
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Relevant Literature ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Urban Freight ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Last Mile ◽  
Urban Freight Transport ◽  
And Performance

The growth of e-commerce has increased urban freight transport, bringing negative externalities of emissions, pollution, noise, congestion, and habitat loss. There is a visible effort to make the urban last-mile (LM) deliveries more sustainable, mainly in the environmental aspects; however, the related literature lacks a synthesis of the up-to-date research trends and available solutions. This paper reviews relevant literature following SRL methodology in terms of topics related to green LM deliveries on the e-commerce market in urban areas, and identifies trends and the research gaps in this field. In addition, current research topics and existing solutions within the e-commerce market, which increase its environmental sustainability are presented. The findings provide an accurate and comprehensive synthesis of research in green LM e-commerce deliveries in cities, identify current and emerging interests of researchers worldwide, and discover areas requiring further studies. The topics of ICT and smart solutions, customer behavior, and performance assessment certainly seem to be underestimated in the current research. In practical terms, it is a source of knowledge and guidelines on the current developments regarding the existing solution for the LM e-commerce deliveries in the urban area, which might help local governments, freight operators, and other stakeholders of last-mile logistics to improve their sustainability.

scholarly journals A Conceptual Model Based on the Activity System and Transportation System for Sustainable Urban Freight Transport

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5642
Author(s):  
Demostenis Ramos Cassiano ◽  
Bruno Vieira Bertoncini ◽  
Leise Kelli de Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Transportation System ◽  
Freight Transport ◽  
Activity System ◽  
Urban Freight ◽  
Proposed Model ◽  
Last Mile ◽  
Urban Freight Transport ◽  
Cyclical Process ◽  
Last Mile Delivery

Urban freight transport (UFT) is simultaneously responsible for maintaining the urban lifestyle and the negative externalities impacting urban areas, necessitating strategies that promote sustainable urban freight transport (SUFT). In addition, the stakeholders and geographic factors involved in UFT impose specific concerns in the planning and operation stages of SUFT. Therefore, this paper proposes a model addressing sustainable last-mile delivery considering the relationship between the activity system, transportation system, and stakeholders involved in UFT. Based on the literature review, we identified UFT planning procedures to achieve SUFT. In a cyclical process, these procedures were considered on the proposed model, integrating freight transport planning with urban planning to develop SUFT and, consequently, sustainable cities.

Evaluating Urban Logistics Schemes Using Agent-based Simulation

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 651-675 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. J. A. van Heeswijk ◽  
M. R. K. Mes ◽  
J. M. J. Schutten ◽  
W. H. M. Zijm
Keyword(s):  
Supply Chains ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Mathematical Representation ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Literature Study ◽  
Agent Based Simulation ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
Urban Freight ◽  
Urban Freight Transport ◽  
Urban Consolidation

The domain of urban freight transport is becoming increasingly complex. Many urban supply chains are composed of small and independent actors that cannot efficiently organize their highly fragmented supply chains, thereby negatively affecting the quality of life in urban areas. Both companies and local administrators try to improve transport efficiency and reduce external costs, but the effects of such interventions are difficult to predict, especially when applied in combination with each other (an urban logistics scheme). This paper presents an agent-based simulation model to quantify the effects of urban logistics schemes on multiple actors. We provide a detailed mathematical representation in the form of a Markov decision process. Based on an extensive literature study, we aggregate data to represent various actors in typical Western European cities. We perform numerical experiments to obtain insights into urban logistics schemes. The results show that most schemes yield significant environmental improvements but that achieving long-term financial viability is challenging for urban consolidation centers in particular. We also demonstrate that interventions, such as subsidies and access restrictions, do not always yield the intended effect. In a backcasting experiment, we identify conditions and schemes to achieve a financially viable urban consolidation center.

scholarly journals Sustainable Solutions for Wearable Technologies: Mapping the Product Development Life Cycle

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (20) ◽  
pp. 8444
Author(s):  
Olga Gurova ◽  
Timothy Robert Merritt ◽  
Eleftherios Papachristos ◽  
Jenna Vaajakari
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Product Life Cycle ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Information And Communications Technology ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Wearable Technologies ◽  
Fitness Tracking

Wearable technologies involve the integration of technology into clothing or accessories to bring new functionalities for people on the move. Many examples of wearables are emerging, from simple fitness tracking watches to electronics deeply embedded into garments for multi-touch sensing and control for personal music players. Without careful development, wearables can have a negative impact on the environment due to increased production of electronic components, increased e-waste from abandoned devices, and increased energy usage. We examine environmental sustainability issues through a review of recent research and cases across three broad areas including the fashion industry, information and communications technology (ICT), and wearable technologies. In the analysis, we examine stages in the product life cycle and identify the unique issues for each sector, including the extraction of materials, production process, distribution of products, use, and disposal of products that have reached the end of their life. The findings are gathered as implications for design so that researchers, educators, designers, developers, and product managers will gain an overview of the issues related to environmental sustainability. Related examples of products and prototypes are provided to enable informed choices during the design and development of wearables that are more environmentally sustainable.

scholarly journals Responsible Environmental Attitudes as Recipe for Sustainable Environment in Nigeria

2014 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 28-38
Author(s):  
Abiodun A. Oladiti ◽  
Binta T. Kamarise
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Human Impacts ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Healthy Environment ◽  
Sustainable Environment ◽  
Responsible Attitude ◽  
State Of The Environment

Environmental sustainability is currently a topical issue globally. Reason for this might not be unconnected with the need to ensure balancing of environmental protection as well as social responsibility as requisite for healthy environment and economy. Thus, an understanding of the indispensability of environment generally has led to the clarion call for better steward of environment by human beings, bearing in mind the deteriorating state of the environment and its consequences. This study employed a triangulation of instrument in developing responsible attitude towards environment. 72 participants involving artisans, technocrats, farmers, marketers, industrialists, public servants and institutions were drawn across urban and peri-urban areas within four local governments in Oyo, Oyo state, Nigeria. In-depth interviews were conducted among the participants on the extent, effects of human impacts as well as desirability of responsible attitudes to the environment. Data were analyzed through coded description, verbatim reporting, content analysis and categorization of ideas expressed by participants in the IDIs. It was revealed that human beings have impacted on the environment in a number of ways culminating in untold effects on the environment and its components. The need for responsible attitude to environment was therefore suggested as measure towards sustainable environment and development.

scholarly journals RESEARCHES ON URBAN FREIGHT TRANSPORT IN THE MEXICAN CITY OF QUERETARO: From central to peri-urban areas

2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eduardo Betanzo-Quezada ◽  
José A. Romero-Navarrete; Saúl A. Obregón-Biosca
Keyword(s):  
Latin American ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Freight Transport ◽  
Capital Cities ◽  
Urban Freight ◽  
Urban Freight Transport

While in developed countries the effects of urban freight transport on congestion levels, environment and quality of life of the population have been recognized and studied, in Latin American countries a limited amount of reports have been produced on this issue, focusing only on major urban agglomerations and capital cities. The aim of this paper is to describe and discuss the results and the key analytical concepts supporting a research work carried out in the Queretaro Metropolitan Area, within the 2003−2014 period. The methodological approach considered includes a multi-year research effort for creating analytical tools and evaluation methods. As a result of this effort, urban freight related issues have been characterized in a context of urban and peri-urban interacting environments for a medium-sized city. The resulting methods and tools can now be used for studying metropolitan areas on a nation-wide basis.

scholarly journals How to make urban freight transport by tram successful?

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Katrien De Langhe ◽  
Hilde Meersman ◽  
Christa Sys ◽  
Eddy Van de Voorde ◽  
Thierry Vanelslander
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Cost Benefit Analysis ◽  
Cost Benefit ◽  
Threshold Value ◽  
Freight Transport ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Transport Infrastructure ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Urban Freight ◽  
Urban Freight Transport

AbstractMany national and international bodies, such as the European Commission, encourage the use of environment-friendly transport modes. Local and national authorities take more and more measures, for instance road pricing, loading/unloading spaces and low-emission zones, to prevent negative transport-related externalities in urban areas. Hence, transport and logistics operators consider alternative ways to deliver goods in urban areas by using electric vehicles, cargo bikes, inland vessels and rail transport. Which of these alternative modes is appropriate for which transport flow depends on multiple factors, including the available transport infrastructure, the goods volume, the measures taken by the authorities and the presence of congestion. This paper focuses on urban freight transport by tram and the conditions for a successful implementation. A successful implementation is defined as an implementation that is viable, i.e. the difference between the change of the costs and the change of the benefits exceeds a certain threshold value. The viability is studied from a business-economic and a socio-economic perspective for a dedicated freight tram, a freight wagon behind a passenger tram and the transport of parcels by a passenger tram. A viability model is developed, based on a social cost-benefit analysis. The working of this model is illustrated by applying it to the city of Antwerp. The main findings show that the use of a freight wagon attached to a passenger tram provides more potential than a dedicated freight tram. A courier taking the tram to deliver some parcels can be viable as well. For all three types of tram transport, the socio-economic benefits exceed the business-economic ones. Critical factors affecting the viability include the transported volume, the efficiency of the current road transport, the timing of the transport, the need for post-haulage and the operational costs of both road and rail.

scholarly journals Integration of Sustainability Into Early Design Through Working Knowledge Model and Visual Tools

2009 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srikanth Devanathan ◽  
Pranav Koushik ◽  
Fu Zhao ◽  
Karthik Ramani
Keyword(s):  
Design Process ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Design Stage ◽  
Knowledge Model ◽  
Early Design ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Early Design Stage ◽  
And Performance

The issue of environmental sustainability, which is unprecedented in both magnitude and complexity, presents one of the biggest challenges faced by modern society. Engineers, including mechanical engineers, can make significant contribution to the development of solutions to this problem by designing products and processes that are more environmentally sustainable. It is critical that engineers take a paradigm shift of product design i.e. from cost and performance centered to balance of economic, environmental, and societal consideration. Although there have been quite a few design for environment (DfE, or ecodesign) tools developed, so far these tools have only achieved limited industrial penetration: they are either too qualitative/subjective to be used by designers with limited experiences, or too quantitative, costly and time consuming and thus cannot be used during the design process specially during the early design stage. This paper develops a novel, semi-quantitative ecodesign tool that targets specially on early design process. The new tool is a combination of environmental life cycle assessment, working knowledge model, and visual tools such as QFD, functional-component matrix, and Pugh chart. Redesign of staplers is selected as a case study to demonstrate the use of the proposed tool. Efforts are on going to confirm that the new design generated using this new tool does have improved environmental performance.

scholarly journals The transformative effect of the introduction of water volumetric billing in a disadvantaged housing area in Sweden

Water Policy ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 973-990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mikael Mangold ◽  
Greg Morrison ◽  
Robin Harder ◽  
Pernilla Hagbert ◽  
Sebastien Rauch
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Ecological Modernization ◽  
Water Usage ◽  
Domestic Water ◽  
Environmentally Sustainable ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Household Economies ◽  
Housing Area ◽  
Payment Schemes ◽  
Negative Impacts

Domestic water payment schemes are often a product of their time, place and what is perceived to be customary. Aspects that payment schemes can take into account include resource conservation, equity, maintainability, and profitability. In contemporary Sweden profitable environmentally sustainable solutions are promoted, such as the introduction of volumetric billing of water in rental apartments. This paper describes the detailed consequences of this change in the payment structure for domestic water in terms of reduced resource consumption, direct impact on household economies and perceptions of the system's change process. By combining high-resolution quantitative data on water usage and socio-economic household characteristics with qualitative data from semi-standardized interviews with residents, it is possible to identify the different impacts of the system's change and how the process was experienced. It was shown that while water usage decreased by 30%, 63% of the households had increased monthly costs, and unemployed residents were further disadvantaged and closer to social exclusion. Focusing on making environmental sustainability profitable, as posited in ecological modernization theory, may shadow negative impacts on social sustainability.

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