Early man never worried about how to protect the environment so he could live in a world free of pollutants and toxins - the air was clear and the water pure. Food, shelter and survival were the all consuming concerns of earth’s early inhabitants, humans who experienced many hardships on their march to civilization.
While the industrial and technological advances of mankind have brought us comforts, conveniences and longevity, they also have brought us a polluted world. Now our concerns also include what to do about the impact on the environment from acid rain, ozone depletion, global climate change, agricultural chemicals, toxic substances, hazardous waste, radiation and contaminated water supplies.
Business and industry often are blamed for mankind’s 20th century environmental ills, but returning to a preindustrial lifestyle and economy is not an option. Current and future generations must wrestle with the dilemma of how to advance civilization, while at the same time preserve and protect the earth.
Pollution prevention, a strategy fundamentally different from pollution control and waste management, is the preferred method in the hierarchy of environmental practices. Pollution prevention is a simple concept. It means taking measures to address pollution at its source of generation, rather than trying to manage, control or clean it up afterwards. Preventing pollution leads to other economic benefits, such as reduced treatment and disposal costs, reduced liabilities, and potential savings on raw materials.
Substantial legislation to ensure compliance with measures to protect our earth has been enacted over the past three decades. At the federal level, there has been the Wilderness Act, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Pollution Prevention Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and the Superfund, among others.
Countless environmental measures have become laws in all 50 states, and millions of people, representing regulatory agencies, science, industry, education and grass roots environmental movements, are involved in tackling today’s environmental issues. Governments are devising incentives to help individuals and business leaders change the way that raw materials and goods are produced, consumed and disposed. Moreover, the educational system is beginning to teach our children lessons about earth care, lessons that older generations never regarded as necessary until recently.
The debate rages as to whether or not our environmental protection efforts are working, but one fact cannot be disputed — more needs to be done. Our progress since the Clean Air Act of 1970 has been praised by some, and criticized by others as too slow. For example, although particulates, sulfur dioxide and carbon monoxide emissions fell between 1975 and 1984, improving urban air quality across the country, many categories of air pollutants today still exceed 66 percent of the 1970 levels. In addition, while significant progress has been made in the water quality of places such as Lake Erie, Puget Sound and the Chesapeake Bay, other streams and rivers remain polluted. Nevertheless, overall public awareness and interest in the environment have increased. People are changing their habits and, as a result, they also are expecting business to respond to their concerns about the environment.
“Green” marketing and going “green” by controlling or eliminating pollutions and toxins at your business are strategies which may help your company survive, as well as help the environment. The following case studies show what some companies are doing to keep our environment clean by reducing or eliminating pollution and toxins from their daily operations.
Tags: agricultural chemicals, global climate change, hazardous waste, impact on the environment, ozone depletion, radiation and contaminated water supplies., toxic substances