As the topics of sustainability and climate change sweep the world and continue to grow exceedingly important, all areas of medical logistics need to be evaluated in order to promote better environmental practices for all parties involved. This includes looking for solutions in vehicles – both ground and air – as well as evaluating other aspects of transportation. Autonomous vehicles are one way to promote sustainability, but electric and green vehicles can’t be overlooked when it comes to transportation and sustainability.
Climate Change and Its Importance
The importance of climate change can’t be underestimated, and the impact of vehicles is no joke. Highway vehicles release around 1.5 billion tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere each year. In addition, the carbon pollution from gasoline and emissions is paramount. Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and hydrofluorocarbons which contribute to the Earth’s atmosphere warming and changes to the climate that we see daily. Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transportation amount to 29 percent of the total emissions in the US. While 29 percent might not seem like that large of a number, transportation emissions are the leading contributor to GHG emissions.
Taking care of the environment and looking after our planet is extraordinarily important. The field of transportation is one that everyone – individuals, companies, and organizations alike – can look towards to find solutions and promote more sustainable practices. While making these choices on a personal level can be easier than on a worldwide level, every choice counts and is paramount for the future of our planet.
What are Environmentally Friendly Vehicle Options?
Electric Vehicles are a great option here due to the fact that they use an electric motor that emits no exhaust and doesn’t require liquid fuel. There are hybrid electric or plug-in hybrid options here that can also contribute to a more environmentally friendly future.
Eco-friendly vehicles are pretty broad in that they run more efficiently and are said to be environmentally friendly, however as with any sustainability initiatives and products, these terms can mean a lot of different things.
Hydrogen fuel-cell cars are powered by hydrogen as opposed to batteries and are another green option in terms of vehicles and transportation. Hydrogen cars can typically offer a longer driving range than electric, making them a more reliable option for long-distance travel. The only downside here is that electric cars can offer a more responsive driving experience through better acceleration and torque.
Vehicular Solutions to Climate Change
Medical transportation and logistics rely heavily on vehicles and their operators. Both emergency and non-emergency transportation require reliable, efficient vehicles to transport patients, medical equipment, and products alike. Medical transportation needs to retain its reliability and efficiency while looking for ways to take strides toward a more sustainable future.
As environmentally-friendly, green vehicles become more reliable and continue their technological development, medical transportation companies such as Medi-Ops can begin to invest in green solutions and vehicles without compromising their reliability.
The vehicles above are great options for ground transportation, but what about air transportation? The aviation industry is a large contributor to GHG emissions. Electric planes and aircraft may point towards a sustainable future. Producing zero direct emissions and operating quietly means electric planes are reducing their carbon footprint and reducing noise pollution. The difficulty here is that there is limited energy storage capacity of batteries, which significantly restricts aircraft range and payload capability.
The challenges that appear in creating electric and green vehicles with the same capability as traditional vehicles are apparent. However, the future of these developments is incredibly promising. This industry is rapidly growing and many new prototypes and developments present as viable options for overcoming some of these challenges and hurdles in the future.
What This Means for Medi-Ops
Good medical logistics means less error and unnecessary trips as well as more efficiency. Medi-Ops is able to expand on efficiency of logistics for this reason. Looking ahead, as technology develops and electric vehicles in both ground and air transportation become more viable, medical transportation can begin to switch out gas vehicles for electric options. As the primary concern in transportation surrounding healthcare is patient safety, these changes can only be made when there are guarantees that green vehicles can do their jobs to the level of efficiency and speed as current transportation options.
An exciting future lies ahead when it comes to sustainable transportation in terms of the healthcare and medical fields. At Medi-Ops, the use and implementation of green vehicles is an exciting prospect and component of the future of medical transportation. Since we work in both ground and air transportation, a keen eye on the advancements in green vehicles and air technology is a top priority. The technological advances in this field are thrilling and hold much promise for a future of fighting climate change and pursuing environmentally friendly practices.