Six weeks ago, whilst still in the UK, my wife and I had all the books we needed for a full pallet to send back for our bookshop in Thailand.
Books about to leave the UK distribution centre Mum's garage...
Logistics, I know about, but it still fills me with a mix of wonderment and sadness when I consider that the books we are sending to Thailand were printed just across the sea in China and that they were shipped back to the UK to be sold. For us, not only a waste of fuels and resources, not to mention the expense but the time wasted!! How wonderful would it be without trade tariffs and borders and all the associated shit involved with geopolitical boundaries, distributors and associated hangers-on? How much of the world's resources could we save if we didn't need that wooden pallet that goes in a huge metal container that gets plonked on a giant ship that burns off thousands of tonnes of fossil fuels and excretes hundreds of tonnes of carbon as it makes its way around the world?
The wonderment comes from the complexity of worldwide logistics. All sea freight gets a waybill, and its reference is logged on a computer system. The system then works out the container it needs to be in (Many containers contain split loads from different customers), then it works out a route, and then it finds the necessary ships from the shipping company time tables.
Six weeks after leaving our UK distribution centre my mum's garage, the pallet arrived at our home in Bangkok. Just a small usual attempted rip-off by the Thai import agent and customs people but it finally got here intact.
Finally here! 1.6 cubic metres and 560kg of Peppa Pig and assorted other children's books.
If I were being consistent, I would add to my argument about waste that books needn't be printed at all but that's a step too far for me! Whilst some of my reading matter is online, I still much prefer the tactility of a book in my hands. At least paper is recyclable.
Using blockchain technology, the whole logistics thing could be run across a totally decentralised network and without borders, we could all order books on demand from the nearest printing centre. The books themselves could be saved on a huge decentralised database and the royalties paid upon order along with the associated printing costs directly to the printer. From creator to manufacturer to end user, seamlessly and with as little cost as possible.
Of course, no one would need bookshops too......or perhaps they would, and I'd have to keep stock as the very human habit of 'browsing' will be here for a long time yet!
What is the true cost of some kid in Bangkok reading their English Peppa Pig book?
@nathen007