Going Green

IT'S NOT EASY BEING GREEN...OR IS IT?

What can YOU do to help our planet??

Chances are that you are aware of the damage being done to Planet Earth by the over emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere and have policies and procedures in place to help mitigate that damage.  Well, here is one more thing to consider…

An ocean-going container ship produces about 230 grams of CO2 per TEU (20’ equivalent unit) per kilometer travelled.  It is 15,620 km from Le Havre to Vancouver by ship, therefore a 40’ container holding 150 barrels on that ship generates 7,185,200 grams of CO2, or 47.9 kg per barrel.

On the same trade lane, we can put 350 unassembled barrels in a 20’ container.  Using the same math, that works out to 3,592,600 grams of CO2 or 10.2 kg per barrel.

Therefore, barrels assembled in Europe generate 4.7 times more CO2 in transportation than the same barrels made here in British Columbia !

How green is your Valley ??

Let’s have a look at barrels shipped from California to BC
compared to barrels made and shipped within BC:

200 barrels from Napa to Kelowna, 22,000 lbs, 809 miles
22,000 lbs x 809 miles / 2204 = 8075 ton-miles (T-M)
8075 T-M x 0.3725* lbs CO2 / T-M = 3008 lbs of CO2 or 15 lbs / barrel

200 barrels from Oliver to Kelowna, 22,000 lbs, 59 miles
22,000 lbs x 59 miles / 2204 = 589 ton-miles
589 T-M x 0.3725* lbs CO2 / T-M = 219 lbs of CO2 or 1.09 lbs / barrel

* = U.S. Dep’t. of Energy constant for truck transportation

Therefore, barrels assembled in California generate 13.7 times more CO2 in transportation than the same barrels made here in British Columbia !

Remember: Going local is going green!

We all live here!