Amazon is reducing the amount of time its same-day shipping takes for Prime members in certain cities in a move that the company says will also help it to reduce carbon emissions. Thanks to a network of mini-fulfillment centers, the company says it will reduce carbon emissions and while shaving shipping time.

Amazon Prime members in Orlando, Dallas, Philadelphia, and Phoenix will now receive their same-day deliveries even faster, “from click to doorstep in just a few hours,” the company wrote in its blog.

Up to three million items, marked “Today by,” can be ordered for same-day shipping throughout the day. In order to make such a large selection of products available so quickly, the company is storing items in brand new facilities built specifically to be even closer to customers.

“And while it may seem counterintuitive, the faster delivery speeds enabled by these facilities actually help us lower carbon emissions in line with our climate pledge to be net zero carbon by 2040,” the company wrote. “This is because these new facilities are in close proximity to customers, reducing the need for aircraft transport and generally decreasing the distance drivers have to travel to deliver packages to our customers.”

In other recent efforts to reduce carbon emissions, Amazon announced plans to pilot an estimated 100 commercial cargo bikes in Manhattan through the city’s new Commercial Cargo Bike Program. In December, Amazon said it would start with 90 bikes and would plan to significantly grow that number in the coming months.

Amazon said in September that it planned to meet the Paris Agreement’s commitment — to become zero carbon by 2040 — a decade early. The company expects to reach 80% renewable energy by 2024 and to be 100% powered by renewables by 2030.

Source: Environment + Energy Leader