Why should your organization be a good steward of the environment; because its good for business and it\u2019s the only planet we have.\u00a0 Now before you label me an environmentalist wacko, please read what I think is a practical philosophy about the environment.\u00a0 My belief is that we should minimize our use of non-renewable resources, optimize our use of renewable resources, and put things back the way we found them.\u00a0 In other words, let\u2019s be good stewards of our environment so we protect it for our children and their children.<\/p>\n
So what does that mean for business?\u00a0 If we need oil, use it very sparingly; if nuclear power provides a cost effective\u00a0alternative, use it with reasonable safeguards.\u00a0 If we need wood, use cultivated growth and replant.\u00a0 If we need water, clean up what we use before returning it to the supply.\u00a0 And if we need to mine off a mountaintop because there is no other option (although there usually is), then create a new park with its own beauty to replace what we\u2019ve taken.<\/p>\n
If there exists natural beauty that we believe is irreplaceable, perhaps the aforementioned mountaintop, then let us, the public, buy it, take it off the market and place it in the public trust.\u00a0 The Nature Conservancy\u00a0is great at doing exactly that sort of thing in cooperation with federal, state, and local governments.\u00a0 If I\u2019m a farmer, rancher, or business owner who invested in my land, don\u2019t just tell me I can\u2019t use it because it\u2019s home to an endangered species, compensate me for the loss of use.\u00a0 Responsible resource use and management; that\u2019s my platform and I\u2019m sticking with it.<\/p>\n
Based on my experience I believe being a responsible steward of the environment can help keep production costs down, resulting in a more affordable product or service.\u00a0 It can help focus on reducing waste and rework.\u00a0 It can trigger investigation into more affordable and renewable resources and alternative production methods.\u00a0 And it can prevent or limit degradation of your surroundings and loss of scarce resources that could ultimately impact your ability to maintain peak performance.\u00a0 In short, being a good steward of your environment can enhance your sustainability over the long haul.\u00a0 (Yes, sustainability is one of the few new business buzzwords that I like.)<\/p>\n
So why should your organization be environmentally responsible; because responsible resource use and management is good for business.\u00a0 It will help control costs, preserve resources, generate new customers, and build your reputation and integrity in the marketplace.\u00a0 Try it, market it, and measure the results (The Balanced Scorecard<\/span>, Kaplan and Norton).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Why should your organization be a good steward of the environment; because its good for business and it\u2019s the only planet we have.\u00a0 Now before you label me an environmentalist wacko, please read what I think is a practical philosophy about the environment.\u00a0 My belief is that we should minimize our use of non-renewable resources, … Continue reading Why Should Your Organization Be Environmentally Responsible?<\/span>