Sustainable Business Practices: A Deep Dive
What is Closed Loop Supply Chain? Give an example
Closed Loop Supply Chain is the design, control, and operation of a system to maximize value creation over the entire life cycle of a product with dynamic recovery of value from different types and volumes of returns over time. For example, Ford Motor Company has a program for recycling plastic bumpers into tail light housings.
What is Waste Management? Give an example
WM refers to collecting and processing waste (products for which there is no new use) efficiently and effectively. Example: One fourth of all supermarkets in Hokkaido have special “recycled goods” sections. Main items are toilet paper, notebooks, aluminum foil and other foil-type products, garbage bags, etc.
What are the 5 R’s and explain them
The 5 R’s is a waste hierarchy: Reduction at source (minimization); Replacement (prevention); Reutilization (reuse); Recycling; Recovery (Energy)
What is the difference between Reverse Logistics and Closed Loop Supply Chain?
Describe the 3 generations of biofuels and explain what are the negative side effects of the first generation?
1st generation: Starch to alcohol from food crops, like sugarcane, sugar beet, corn. Oil extraction, like soybean, rapeseed, jatropha, palm oil, etc. 2nd generation: Bacterial, enzymatic breakdown of cellulosis (plant mass) to alcohol. Lignin breakdown (tougher wood). 3rd generation: GMO organisms produce desired fuel. Algae produce starch or oil (highest efficiency). Explaining: 1st generation biofuels competes with agricultural production; uses arable land and drives food prices up. The method of production is often not sustainable (like many other agricultural practices) and the energy production in relation to the energy invested (still fossil fuel) is quite low, there is little gain in CO2 reduction, compared to fossil fuels. 2nd generation biofuels is slightly more promising, but still not very efficient (plants store little energy per m2), still high energy cost invested, also most byproducts in agriculture have already use and value, so it still competes in the market, so it doesn’t add up to replace fossil fuel. 3rd generation is most promising when it comes to replacing fossil fuel. There are unfortunately many obstacles to overcome before we will see large scale production plants. Algae can be grown in open ponds, ocean water or on closed systems like transparent pipe tubes. The open systems have the problem of contamination or infection of the algae, the closed systems are more expensive. Theoretically you could build installations in areas with little value and high sunlight intensity, like Sahara desert.
What kind of energy sources are truly sustainable (name 3) and under what conditions could they be used?
3 energy sources: solar energy, wind energy and hydro electric power. Solar energy: It must be used in sunny places and hot areas. For example, deserts have far more expressed sun’s radiation than any other areas. Wind energy: You need a place with wind and an empty areas. Hydro Electric energy.
What kind of hurdles would society have to take before we could have a hydrogen economy?
The most important problem with this kind of energy is that we are putting more energy into it than we are getting out of it. The storage and transportation of hydrogen are very complicated and hydrogen can be dangerous because it is very explosive, a small leak can have huge consequences. The energy content of hydrogen is in principle smaller than that of gas for example. So you would have to refill your tank frequently.
What are important characteristics of (non)renewable energy sources?How could we make sure that we overcome the problems with some of these energy sources?
Renewable energy
: comes from the sun, the wind, the waves and the heat deep down in the earth; is free; keeps coming back next day even if you use as much as you can today; doesn’t cause pollution; doesn’t emit carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas Non-renewable energy:
comes from coal, oil and natural gas; won’t last for ever; gives off carbon dioxide when burns, and other polluting chemicals; contributes to greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, increasing global warmingWhat is innovation and how could business foster it?
Innovation may be defined as exploiting new ideas leading to the creation of a new product, process or service. It is not just the invention of a new idea that is important, but it is actually “bringing it to market”, putting into practice and exploiting it in a manner that leads to new products, services or systems that add value or improve quality. Business should have “ absorptive capacity”. “The ability of a firm to recognize the value of new, external information, assimilate it and apply it to commercial ends”Give an example of a company that changed its business model and because of that increased profitability and sustainability.
General Motors is fueled by the sun. For instance, the largest rooftop solar array in the world can be found on top of our car factory plant in Zaragoza, Spain. It will put up to 12 megawatts of energy back into the plant, significantly reducing the need for energy found in fossil fuels.
Explain the natural capital idea. In what sense is it profitable?
Natural capital is the extension of the economic notion of capital (manufactured means of production) to goods and services relating to the natural environment. Natural capital is thus the stock of natural ecosystems that yields a flow of valuable ecosystem goods or services into the future. It is profitable because it increases productivity of natural resources: Whole system design; Adopting innovative techniques; Furthermore, the production is redesigned according to biological models; Closed loop systems; Zero waste; It is also profitable because they change the business model. Not selling lifts/elevators, but “leasing vertical transportation”.
How does Cradle to Cradle differ with the Life Cycle analyses concept? Give at least 2 examples of an application of the concept and describe the benefits it had on the business? Give at least 2 examples of an application of the concept and describe the benefits it had on the business?
Cradle-to-cradle is a term used in life-cycle analysis to describe a material or product that is recycled into a new product at the end of its life,so that ultimately there is no waste. Examples: The application of cradle-to-cradle concepts to the disposal of buildings contributes to the recovery of materials with zero loss in material performance. Diapers fully recyclable, compostable and flushable. No use of chlorine, plastics, latex, perfumes, inks and dyes. It takes up 500 years to biodegrade for a normal disposable diaper in a landfill