Make a Calculated Decision to Use Wooden Pallets

We all know that pallets help move the world’s products from point A to B. And, that the wooden variety are made using a renewable resource, which makes them easy to recycle and re-use. But, did you also know that a wooden pallet helps reduce greenhouse gas in our atmosphere? How, you might ask?

Half of a wooden pallet’s net weight is carbon (that was taken in by the tree during its growth phase). Throughout its service life, a wooden pallet stores carbon that would otherwise be re-released into the atmosphere as CO₂, a greenhouse gas.  By storing the gas, a wooden pallet reduces CO₂ emissions which helps to slow global climate change and improve air quality.

Want more proof that wood is good? Nature’s Packaging™ developed an EPA-approved carbon calculator to calculate the CO₂ emissions saved per month per ton of wood. Users simply input the number of pallets reused or recycled and the tool calculates the emissions saved as well as the equivalent number of cars taken off the road. Believe it or not, re-using as few as six pallets per month offsets the emissions from one car for an entire month! Understanding these facts helps purchasing agents make a well-informed (or well- ‘calculated’ decision) concerning the use of wood packaging products in their supply chain operations.

So, if your business is involved with green or sustainability initiatives, consider using wooden pallets as part of your strategy. Opting to use, re-use, and recycle wood products like pallets has a great impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and will help ensure a healthy planet for all of us to enjoy for years to come.

For more information about recycling wood pallets and carbon emissions, please click here. Or, to see how much your supply chain can help or already has helped our environment by reusing or recycling wooden pallets, click to use the Carbon Calculator.