Just days after releasing its most sustainable jeans ever and appointing a new chief sustainability officer, Levi’s is tackling the issue of ground-shipping emissions and fuel costs.
The heritage denim brand announced that it’s joining non-profit sustainability organization Ceres and others advocating for the transition to zero-emission trucks and other medium- and heavy-duty vehicles. The initiative called for state-level policy to ensure more environmentally sound transportation methods, and was successful: California’s Advanced Clean Truck (ACT), adopted on June 26, requires a 30 percent increase in electric truck sales by 2030 and a 100 percent increase by 2045.
The initiative is projected to cut the state’s carbon equivalent emissions by 17 million metric tons and save $5.9 billion in transportation-related costs, plus an additional $8.9 billion in health costs and $1.7 billion related to avoiding greenhouse gas emissions by 2040. It’s also expected to add an estimated 7,500 new jobs and $300 million to California’s GDP.
Companies elsewhere in the fashion ecosystem are also seeing the benefits of energy-efficient shipping methods. Earlier this year, UPS, through its venture capital arm UPS Ventures, committed to purchasing 10,000 electric vehicles from Arrival, a tech startup in which it owns shares.
Adoption from large corporations and lucrative projections are inspiring other locales to follow suit.
Washington, D.C., along with 14 states, will make a complete transition to zero-emission trucks and other medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2050, with more states expected to join in the coming months.
“The transition to zero emission trucks aligns with our Climate Action Strategy by way of reducing ground-shipping emissions and reducing fuel costs,” Levi’s said in a statement. “In order to rein in greenhouse gas emissions at the rate that is necessary, addressing transportation emissions is critical.”
No stranger to getting involved in political issues, the denim brand added that it is joining business leaders in calling on Congress to boost jobs in renewable and efficient energy.
