August 2020 Summaries

Flexport.org, the impact division of the global shipping platform Flexport, offers a carbon emissions calculator to aid businesses in creating more sustainable supply chains by facilitating the calculation of carbon emissions from shipment data in real-time. This tool, accredited by the Smart Freight Centre and adhering to the GLEC Framework, enables any company to track and analyze their shipping carbon footprint, even if they do not use Flexport's services. The calculator employs Mapbox APIs to accurately estimate emissions by calculating realistic truck routes, rather than relying on straight-line distances. Flexport.org's mission extends beyond transparency; it encourages companies to optimize for emissions reduction alongside cost and speed considerations, offering insights into the impact of shipping method changes and consolidation. Additionally, partnerships with GoodShipping and Carbonfund.org provide options for using sustainable biofuels and purchasing carbon offsets, respectively. As more companies, like Cotopaxi, participate in Flexport's offset program, they take proactive steps in managing their carbon responsibilities, supported by the availability of emissions data through Flexport's platform or via API for non-users.

Straightaway is a tool designed to optimize the delivery routes of FedEx drivers in the United States by transforming their unordered and non-mapped delivery manifests into efficient and time-saving plans. Utilizing AI routing and real-time traffic data, it allows drivers to take photos of their manifests using phone cameras and optical character recognition software, which are then geocoded to create the optimal route. The app offers two modes, planning and driving, catering to drivers’ preference for knowing their next stop without needing constant navigation prompts. It provides real-time traffic updates, allows manual route adjustments, and surfaces potential errors for correction. Straightaway aims not only to enhance efficiency by saving over an hour a day but also to provide drivers with a sense of accomplishment by tracking their progress, such as time saved, miles driven, and other performance metrics.

Allan Walker utilized NEXRAD Level II radar data to create a 3D model of Hurricane Douglas as it intensified into a Category 4 tropical cyclone near the Hawaiian Islands. The project integrated meteorological data, including wind speed and pressure from IBTrACS, to trace the storm's path, while bathymetric and topological data from the University of Hawaii was transformed from a NetCDF raster grid to geojson contours using QGIS. This data was synchronized and visualized using Mapbox GL JS and a plasma color ramp to represent reflectivity and altitude, with local time affecting sky color changes. The visualization involved stitching radar data from four stations into a cohesive view, while a sunrise and sunset calculator helped simulate realistic sky colors, and a camera dynamically followed the hurricane's eye, incorporating storm track positions, wind speed, and pressure for enhanced context.

Maxar Technologies, in collaboration with Mapbox, has launched a new map using shortwave infrared (SWIR) imagery to monitor the wildfires in California, providing a unique ability to see through smoke and detect burned areas. This tool is particularly valuable for displaced residents to assess the impact on their properties, with new imagery being continuously added and available under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial 4.0 license for the 2020 fire season. SWIR imagery, which detects wavelengths between 1100 and 2400 nm, is distinct from typical satellite images and can reveal active fires, burned vegetation, and healthy areas, offering a detailed view of the ground that traditional optical sensors cannot achieve due to smoke penetration.

The guide introduces how to create a sophisticated store locator map using Mapbox GL JS, demonstrating the process with Sweetgreen as an example. Users can browse locations from a sidebar and select a specific store to view more details, with the map highlighting the chosen store on the sidebar when a marker is selected. The guide playfully suggests contacting Sweetgreen to request the return of the chickpea salad, adding a lighthearted touch to the tutorial.