Social Enterprise – Part 6
Presented by: Center for Balanced Development
Focus: Transportation
& Logistics
Conceptual Framework:
History and Background
Getting from one place to another, throughout the history civilization,
has always been the cause for development and human progress. The
invention of the wheel and the use of animals created new possibilities
in terms transportation and cargo. The use of wood in water
transportation evolved as the means for travel across the oceans and
exploration of the new world. The advent of railroad added another
dimension to long distance travel. However, the invention of the
automobile and its rapid development was a major milestone in the
development of large cities and expansion of civilization across the
vast landscape. Air travel brought further ease in global travel and
movement of goods and connected the planet into a global village.
Present Status & Needs
Today, transportation and logistics play a major part in the global
economy and supply chain. We use transportation for food and household
supplies. We use transportation to get to work, visit family and friends
and travel to new places to learn about other cultures. We use
transportation for the movement of goods and products made half way
across the planet. However, as pollution and congestion in big cities
reach critical dimensions, there is a great need for alternative modes
of transportation for our daily movement as well as long distance
travel.
Future Outlook
To create highly efficient and adequate transportation and logistics,
there are great efforts being made to focus on mass transit and new
models of urban planning as well as renewable sources of energy. As the
global population increase and our cities expand, we cannot afford
traffic gridlock and high fuel costs. By economic necessity, the transit
systems in the cities of the future, the interstate transportation and
distribution system must be cost-effective and highly efficient.
Currently, great efforts are being made in developing new models of
urban planning. For example the carfree movement (www.carfree.com)
and the city of Masdar (www.masdar.ae)
are a couple of examples of great urban planning. Meanwhile the
development of mass transit using renewable energy and electric vehicles
is very promising.
Applications for Social Enterprise Focused on Transportation &
Logistics:
Animals
This is the most ancient mode of transportation which is still prevalent
in many parts of the world. Whether it is horses, donkeys, camels, yaks
or sled dogs, the use of animals is a necessity to nomadic tribes and
people in remote parts of the world. However, as a social enterprise,
there are numerous possibilities for recreation or commercial
applications of incorporating animals in modern transportation with
humanitarian and ecological considerations. The other possible area of
focus would be protecting animals from abuse and mishandling of animals
used for transportation. Another area would be training guide dogs and
safety dogs guarding cargo and inventory in warehouses or dogs trained
for checking transportation for drugs and illegal cargo or explosives.
Bicycles, Wheelchairs & Segway
With the massive congestion and traffic in modern cities, we are seeing
a trend towards bicycles, skates and personal compact vehicles like
SEGWAY
www.segway.com/
which are very easy to maneuver and offer
great possibilities. Here, a social enterprise that is gaining momentum
is Rental Stations. Where the users can use their credit cards to rent a
electric cycle and return it to the same location or another location
where the same service is available.
One such social enterprise concept is Alta Bicycle Share
www.altabicycleshare.com
which uses solar paneled stations to charge its electric bicycles.
Another area of great innovations are baby strollers and wheelchairs.
There is a great need for low cost wheelchairs for poor regions of the
world.
Electric Cars
This is a fast-developing industry that even though it does not address
the issue of mass congestion but it does save energy and reduces
pollution. Electric cars and conversion kits are being developed in most
parts of the world and there are lots of opportunity for social
entrepreneurs to innovate and initiate start-up projects to contribute
to the development of the industry. One of the areas that is a great
need for development is the electric charging stations which is
currently available in some locations but as the number of electric
vehicles increases charging stations will be in high demand. One great
source of information and innovation for the industry is University of
California in Los Angles
luskin.ucla.edu/ev
Other sources are www.evworld.com
and www.hybridcars.com
Another area of rapid growth is small electric vehicles like GEM
www.polaris.com which is used at
golf-courses and localized commercial application and even as local
transport for shopping and errands.
Elevators and Specialty Vehicles
Elevators and escalators play a key role in the development of high
rises as vertical transport systems. As the number of high-rises in
modern cities increase, the need for innovation for better, more
efficient, faster and safer elevators could be the engine behind a great
enterprise. Meanwhile a number of specialty vehicles such as forklifts
and shopping carts need to be re-designed using electric sources or new
ways of setting up the warehouse or shopping aisles to facilitate better
and faster storage and retrieval. Inventions and ideas, as we have
mentioned before, are often behind a great social enterprise which goes
beyond economic rewards. Here OTIS
www.otisworldwide.com
has been a pioneer with a long
history.
Para-Gliders & Kite-surfing
There are interesting inventions and innovations in the development of
all forms of para-gliders, ultralight aircrafts, powered para-gliders
and various light aircrafts for recreational or commercial purposes.
It’s always interesting to see prototypes and new ideas in action. Some
of these ideas like “parasailing” and “ kite surfing”
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitesurfing are
gaining popularity and are great projects for starting a social
enterprise.
Public Transport
The current popular notion of one person per car sitting in traffic is
the most inefficient transport system where the amount of time and
energy wasted is tremendous and that is not to mention the amount lost
economic productivity that is lost. The most efficient means of
transportation is obviously a well-designed mass transit system where
the passengers can plan their departure and arrival times. Mass transit
is also energy-efficient as more and more buses, boats, light planes and
trains are powered by electric or alternative fuel sources. As for
social enterprise startups in mass transit, on one end we are seeing a
new wave of pedi-cabs in busy shopping districts, parks or commercial
areas
www.212pedicab.com/
and on the other side we see social enterprise
websites where shared-rides and cheap long distance travel is promoted.
No matter where the innovations take place in using public transport,
the outcome will be socially, economically and ecologically beneficial.
Infrastructure, Roads, Ports & Tracks
There is an ever-increasing need for transportation infrastructure.
Whether we are talking about bicycles, cars, boats, trains or planes the
need for roads, ports and tracks is expanding and taking new forms
according to the innovations being made in new means of transportation.
For a social enterprise there are numerous possibilities for providing
solutions, counseling and products and services that meet the need for
the future models of transportation. One area in need of more
development is road pavement material. For example, using recycled tires
to make very durable pavement is one such concept. Among other items
related to transportation are road signs and markings. Often, a small
innovation in existing need or applications can be the beginning of a
great project.
Freight and Shipping
Today, our commerce and supply chain is global. There is a worldwide and
complex shipping network for
products and cargo that are produced in one continent and used in
another. The fright and shipping business includes all forms of
transportation and often a single shipment could travel from cargo ships
or planes, trains and trucks before arriving at its destination. For the
creative social entrepreneur there are great opportunities in this field
as there is a tremendous need for innovation in using alternative modes
of product sourcing, shipping options and delivery. For example,
starting a local express courier to make deliveries within a business
district or in a city using an electric bike or vehicle can be a great
initiave that would address the social, economic and ecological aspects
of a social enterprise.
Warehouse and Storage
Online sales of products has changed the way shop. More and more
products are being purchased online which tend to be less expensive than
the traditional retail outlets. Furthermore, online sales can be handled
through a warehouse of any facility including one’s home depending on
the scale of sales. Websites like AMAZON
www.amazon.com offer great opportunities to a start-up business and
whoever wants to market their products this channel. However, as a
social enterprise one could choose a product that would be beneficial
socially, economically and ecologically.
Production and Distribution
A social enterprise focused on limited high quality production and local
distribution of products can be very successful. Usually these kind of
projects whether it is a project to build guitars or to package locally
grown organic food items can be a great means of bringing the community
closer together, boost the local economy, benefit the ecology, save
transportation and energy as well as creating jobs and skills.
Implications of a Social Enterprise Focused on Transportation &
Logistics:
Social
Transportation has always had an impact on the way we behave as a
society. The modern example of owning a car and driving from the home
garage to the work garage or driving for hours by ourselves in traffic
or long distances to get to work, has created a culture of alienation.
In communities where people use public transportation or in areas where
walking in the neighborhood for shopping, work or socializing is part of
the daily routine, we see a much more healthy environment, good
relations, lots of friendships, less
stress and more productive lives. We see this in many small cities and
villages in Europe where life is rich socially and the environment is
clean.
Economic
Transportation and logistics and its direct impact on our energy sources
as well as the cost of production and supply chain play a key role in
the global economy. Innovations in transportation and the use of
renewable energy can be a great boost towards a more balanced economy.
Social enterprise can further help by focusing on local productions and
distribution to reduce the need for extended use of transportation and
cost-saving measures. We also need to find means of considering the real
cost of using current modes of global transportation in terms of its
impact on society and ecology.
Ecological
The global ecology is being drastically affected by the massive global
transportation network. Whether, we are just focusing on the automobile
production trends and the number of cars today which is nearing one
billion or whether we are looking at the fast development of cargo
ships, oil tankers and various ocean liners which threaten the ecology
of our oceans or whether we are looking at the rapid expansion of our
air traffic and aircrafts, pollution seem to be increasing everywhere
and learning to live in unhealthy environment of modern cities is a fact
of life. Even though there are lots of innovations to address ecological
impact of the transportation industry, nonetheless, the trend towards
more pollution seem to be moving upward.
In conclusion, it is obvious that transportation and logistics are
necessity for development and improving the quality of life. However,
like every other industry, there is a great need for balance. Like most
of our development activities, Here in creating better systems of
transportation, we seem to be neglecting its impact on our communities,
social relations, economic efficiency and ecological balance. Here, it
is clear that there are no quick solutions. However, steps taken today
can pay dividends in 10 or 20 years or longer. In other words, to
achieve balance in social-economic development we need to focus on a
future picture or a vision and make commitments across the globe to
reach it.
For more information, please contact: info@cbdus.org