Everything that we need for our survival and well being, depends either directly or indirectly on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony (Environmental Protection Agency, 2005). It is the development to maintain or sustain condition in order to provide improved long-term economic health and stable social and cultural quality system as well as preserve or protect environment (Goldie, 2005).
Being sustainable and saving energy has huge economic benefits. Economic benefits of being sustainable for the local community make being sustainable a far better and cheaper choice than most practices we use now.In terms of local businesses, huge amounts of money can be saved by being sustainable and using resources such as energy and water more efficiently. Businesses often lose huge amounts of money each year by using their resources poorly, which could be prevented if businesses made simple changes to improve sustainability (Hannah Barker, 2012). Although it is easier for large companies to implement environmental initiatives to become sustainable, smaller businesses and companies find it more difficult because of costs. But it is shown that being sustainable will save companies and businesses money long term and cover all costs used to set up the sustainable practices. As well as saving money through effective use of resources, being sustainable also gives a positive reputation to the company, attracting customers that way.People living in the community can do simple things like setting their homes thermostat a few degrees lower, which will save the community hugely on energy costs. Members of the community taking shorter showers, cutting do...
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...pon the work. To access resources was not very difficult because there were library staffs in the library who could help us to find a lot of great resources from the library website. For example, we were able to access and obtain a good quality of journal articles by searching with EBSCOhost and Scopus, however More information was obtained through online websites, newspaper, youtube, and also government publications.Our group relied and used the group blog heavily, which really helped with communicating ideas and showing our work, when we were between meetings. The group wiki was also set up, which was very useful for sharing our work and allowing others to add their ideas and add things everyone thought were important.Overall our group achieved the tasks allocated, with some difficulties but none which could not be overcome through communication and understanding.
With forward movement in society, it is important to consider not just what will propel most toward success, but also what will help to sustain the environment along the way. What may have been considered appropriate decades ago, may no longer be socially acceptable due to the changes observed in both the business world and the environment (Fiske, 2010). Therefore, it is important for organizations thriving in today?s economy to consider how they may capitalize most effectively from their product or service of choice while minimizing or eliminating any damages along the way (Knoke, 2012).
A business should make sure its methods of production are not negatively affecting its employees and that all the people in the business are happy and willing to work. Also, a business should make sure that its methods of production are not producing any waste on land or water or air pollution, for these negatively affect society. A business that cares about it’s influence on the environment, and its consumers is bound to make a difference. For example: General Mills wants to reduce the amount of energy it uses. In order to do this, they had energy monitors installed into some of their equipment in one of their manufacturing plants. The result: General Mills saved around six hundred thousand dollars (James). Profit can be obtained faster by a business that is looked upon as a positive influence on the environment and its employees. Overall, a business should be careful about how it produces its products and think about society’s health before it makes a decision, for if it doesn’t, the liability for damage is a much greater price to
to produce sustainable communities. This text is critical to this research project because it provides substantive examples of
An organization must always look within and outside of themselves to assess their internal strengths and weaknesses and realize which external factors pose a threat or an opportunity for them. These factors have direct impact on how the organization operates, allowing them to mitigate their threats and maximize their opening to create new and diverse products as the demands of the people grow and technology advances (Rothaermel, 2013). The desire to have greener options in the products people use has forced The Home Depot and Ford Motor Company to respond. However, these two companies not only enforce the environmental concerns of the people with the products they offer to the public, but also in how their plants and stores are ran under sustainable energy. This will
Societal needs of designing and delivering products and services that can better serve a more sustainable environment.
Weaknesses Various challenges were evident throughout the group process including: arranging specific times and locations to meet, miscommunication, and a last minute family emergency. Potentially, the dominant contributing factor to these challenges was the issue of timing within this semester. Group members were all in varying electives, requiring each to have differing assignment priorities. Another issue was that during our group meeting, we noticed that not all members had been a part of our Google Document, where we had been brainstorming, adding information, and observing members
As companies around the world continue to grow and innovate, there have been many corporations that have implemented sustainable practice as part of their marketing campaigns and executive decisions. One example of a sustainable company is Patagonia. They are an outdoor apparel company whose owner is known n for all the sustainable and green strategies that he has implemented in the company. Implementations like creating a sustainable supply chain or using recyclable materials to manufacture clothing are two examples of what they have done. This implementation has accomplished to purposes; first, create awareness and attract consumers who care about the environment and sustainable practices; and second, follow what their mission statement says: “build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis” (Patagonia). In this research paper, I will focus on the impact of sustainable practices within an organization.
Sustainability is a concept with a diverse array of meanings and definitions – a widely used glamorous, ambiguous, ambivalent and vague concept that is used by different stakeholder groups in various ways. Presumably to avoid noodling over a terminology or to avoid the confrontation with a definition, most widely the concept is broken down a planning process (c.f. e.g. Döring & Muraca, 2010). That is why most common sustainability is understood as sustainable development.1
1.- INTRODUCTION: Without doubt, the 20th century has changed our priorities, especially when it comes to the way we do business. Popular sustainable business models, as advertised in the media, have evolved into much more than a moral obligation or an external requirement to generate money. Essentially, they are forcing companies to reinvent the systems and approaches with which they generate value and profitability for the company.
Humans have been destroying the planet since we were able to stand on two legs. As a society, we need to work to reverse these terrible effects that our existence has on the planet. Sustainability is one way to begin reversing these effects, while still living our daily lives. In 2006, Al Gore presented his documentary, “ An Inconvenient Truth”, as a way to show the world the evidence behind global warming, climate change and the destruction of our planet. This documentary shocked the world. It was clear that changes needed to be made, but the destruction was more intense than previously thought. SInce this revelation in 2006, companies have tried to cut down on their greenhouse emissions, as well as offered sustainable products to their customers. Through a debate of morals and
In conclusion, I have to say that there is a solid invisible relationship between impacts of businesses on environments, profitability of sustainable business, and responsibility of business. When one of these ones changes, it will effect to others. When a business adapts efficient and sustainable system, it will reduce negative externalities and increase positive externalities to environment. Once the business adapted efficient business model, it will reduce cost and maximize its profits. Obviously, the sustainable and efficient business model will make the business social more responsible to environments.
Sustainable development refers to not only meet the needs of contemporary people, but also not compromising the ability of future generations to meet development needs.Sustainable development and environmental protection have established contact, not the same. Environmental protection is an important aspect of sustainable development. The core of sustainable development is development, but requires strict control of the population, improve population quality and protect the environment for the conduct of economic and social development under the premise of sustainable use of resources.
Sustainable development means that the present generations should be able to make use of resources to live better lives in such a manner that it doesn’t compromise the ability of future generations to survive and make better lives for themselves as well. For sustainable development to occur, there needs to be sustainable economic, ecological and community development. Society needs to be educated about ways in which they can use resources, especially natural, in such a manner that it doesn’t cause harm to the environment and put future generations lives at risk.
The sustainability of the ecosystems on which the global economy depends must be guaranteed. And the economic partners must be satisfied that the basis of exchange is equitable” (World). This quote demonstrates the complexities of sustainability. Another thing corporations should focus on when trying to be sustainable is their environmental impact.
Sustainability simply defined to me as balancing act between the development of sustainability is necessary for both planet Earth and humans to survive. This is reinforced in the World Commission on Environment and Development report (1987) that sustainable development must meet the needs of the present without compromising the well-being of future generations”. The Earth Charter Organization widened the idea of sustainability to respect for a culture of peace, universal human rights, nature, and economic justice (What is sustainability?, n.d.).