Package delivery company UPS on Tuesday said it will invest $130m to buy 730 compressed natural gas vehicles and build five more domestic CNG fueling stations as the industry moves to shift from petroleum-burning vehicles to those that use less-polluting alternative fuels.

The queen has backed efforts to curb the use of plastics. The Church of England has encouraged a similar push. The British government plans to legislate to require it.

Retailers and manufacturers are taking stock of their transportation costs and exploring alternatives as a capacity crunch in freight is driving up prices and causing shipping delays.

Challenge: Trading partners need to trust that inventory will arrive when scheduled — particularly during item promotions. Historically, location and arrival time was obtained via driver phone calls. But these projected arrival times didn’t consider traffic and weather conditions, and they were often too optimistic.

Samsung Electronics Co., the world’s biggest smartphone maker, joined on Thursday a growing list of companies that are promising to increase their use of solar and other renewable energy to help curb global warming.