To think "outside the box", to elevate our thinking to a new level for discovering innovative ideas, Glass Works has been exploring some of the tools that we believe will help. Their presence here does not mean that we agree with everything in them. Rather, their importance is to provoke new thinking.
There are two "starter kits" that we have chosen for this issue:
Life cycle assessment, life cycle analysis, "who will buy?"
Known as "LCA", life cycle assessment is an approach that looks at the inputs and outputs of the natural resources and energy consumption involved with the manufacture of a product to assess the "cradle-to-grave" environmental impacts. That means you look at what goes in, what goes on during and what comes out of the process. It has a whole set of terms around it under the title of "life-cycle management". Its use as a measurement is to enable companies to better understand the environmental impacts of their processes, the associated financial risks and to improve competitiveness.
And, many believe it will lead to innovation. Glass Works favours this approach as innovation is seen as the primary engine of economic growth. Casting environmental management activities as part of innovation we think will foster sustainable processes and products. Why is this important?
70% of the environmental problems faced by organizations occur in the design phase. So when you spent that loonie, you truly bought "it," and you also bought environmental problems. Maybe there is a better way, LCA is a tool you can use to make your own decision.
Integrated Solid Waste Management, what is it good for?
While we would really prefer if people would focus on the value of materials, or think in terms of "100% product" and not on waste as this title suggests, there are a few points where kudos are due on ISWM. It's a model that can be used as a comparative tool by municipalities or the private sector to provide guidance on management strategies for waste. ISWM is an LCA-based application, and what Glass Works applauds is the move away from a strict adherence to the "3Rs Hierarchy" in support of a decision process based on assessing the variables relevant to the particular community or company. We will look at this model in more detail in a case study, London, Ontario on page 4.
Our new web site will show you other "starter kits" and connect you to what we see as the top sites wherever possible.
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