Archive for the ‘resource conservation’ Category
U.S. Recycling….and a Slow Boat to China
February 28, 2011 | Posted in: green business, recycling, resource conservation, sustainability, waste reduction | 0 Comments
In working with a variety of businesses and organizations, we often get questions – and subsequent comments – about whether a particular recyclable material is going to be sent to China. And just to clarify, the questions are not generally asked with the hope that China will be a recipient of our recyclable commodities. And oftentimes, the answer is “quite possibly,” but of course always dependent on what type of recyclable material we’re talking about.
“American-made” is a long-held ideal…..thus, it is the catalyst for many of the conversations about where our recyclables end up. And the topic has seemed to come up frequently in recent years with the recession having such a significant effect on businesses and jobs. The catch is that we are also living in a much more global marketplace; we are not on an island of isolated production and consumption. Recycling has, for the first time, has now become an integral part of the U.S. economy and therefore sees all of the impacts that affect the rest of global trade and industry. It is often forgotten that those recyclable materials that we ship to China – and other countries – comes back to us in the form of “stuff” that supports our culture of consumption. In other words, we’re buying the stuff and so the cycle continues.
Corporate Environmental Sustainability Still Strong in Tough Times
July 27, 2010 | Posted in: energy efficiency, green business, recycling, resource conservation, sustainability, waste reduction | 1 Comment
Historically, environmental initiatives have taken a backseat during difficult economic times. Not this recession. Consumers are still demanding ‘green’. And, more importantly, companies large and small are realizing the economic benefits.
We live in a natural resource constrained world. Millions of people are entering the middle class as new, hungry consumers. With this higher demand for natural resources comes an increased cost, both financial and environmental. Innovation, resource efficiency, cradle-to-cradle, zero waste – these concepts and actions are leading businesses out of the recession and into the future.
Similar to the technology industry’s rapid advancements (rotary phone-to-cordless phone-to-iPhone; typewriter-to-word processor-to-iPad), businesses that rapidly and continuously invent solutions to our environmental issues and incorporate sustainability as an ongoing business model will lead the way in environmental protection and shareholder profits. This is why many top businesses are betting that this wave of environmental awareness and green innovation is here to stay – even in tough economic times. After all, a sustainable business also means a company that stays around for many years to come.