Sustainability
December 2009
A big part of the “green” movement in manufacturing is the idea of sustainability, meaning “using methods, systems and materials that won’t deplete resources or harm natural cycles.” This is a particular subset of the general idea of waste reduction that is focused on the use of renewable resources and the whole realm of reuse, recycle, and responsible disposal.
Many ‘green’ efforts are also sustainability efforts. When you reduce energy requirements, you are reducing the use of fossil fuels and lowering emissions. When you eliminate or reduce packaging that contributes to sustainability as well. Using materials from renewable sources (soy-based instead of petrochemical, for example), is a very sustainability oriented action. Most of these changes also save money, many immediately and others over the long term.
Don’t forget, too, that the regulatory environment will become more and more stringent in this area. Laws and rules like RoHS and WEEE now in effect in Europe will be coming to the U.S. soon, as will new carbon regulations and economics. No matter what you think about global warming, you are not being given a choice. It might be a good idea to assess and document your carbon footprint now, as a baseline for upcoming rules and regulations.
My parents grew up during the depression and I was raised with traditional New England frugality – “use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without”. So, these ideas are all familiar and comfortable to me. As a nation, we seem to have forgotten about limited resources but we are becoming increasingly aware of it now. Much of the move to ‘green’ manufacturing is based on these simple principles and many of them save money while satisfying regulators and pleasing customers – a ‘win’ all around.
How do software and systems support these goals? Certainly engineering systems will play a role in design changes and ERP will be involved in tracking the configuration and cost changes. Warehouse and transportation system support intelligent routing, efficient space usage, and reverse logistics (returns of recyclables, tracking reusable containers, etc) “What if” and simulation capabilities will help you assess the impact of changes.
There are some interesting challenges ahead but the end result will be lower costs, new efficiencies, and smarter use of resources of all kinds. It’s an effort that would be worth pursuing even if it wasn’t being driven by regulations and consumer demand. You can also follow Dave’s Blog Lean + Green Manufacturing.