The Environmental Impact is the sum of consequences that events and actions have for the environment. A product's life-cycle consists of all the stages from extraction of raw materials - transportation, production, storage, use, etc. - to its final disposal. Each of them affects the environment, and combined form a product's Life-Cycle Environmental Impact. Services share products and stages, and so they have a life-cycle as well. Nature does nothing in vain - Aristotle The Earth always responds unpredictably and so we hear both about Global Warming and glaciations for the coming years. Let's apply the Precautionary Principle to diminish risks and damages
Our evolution in sciences, arts or medicine has been uncontrolled and derived in resource depletion, contamination from mismanaged waste, and irresponsible territorial usage, among other consequences. This is our heritage and what we leave for future generations. It's time to change things and to become proactive. Each of our actions counts! Only when we solve problems contextually we avoid future trouble. Corporate identity, technological lock-in, competitive advantage, trends in legislation and society… there are plenty of key topics to consider not to compromise future. Further, each situation is unique, and so it should be its solving. Then, universal solutions…they can help, but won’t solve – at least in the long run.
A sustainable interaction with the environment is not just about optimizing resources and minimising the ecologic footprint. It also necessarily implies social and cultural issues, and should encourage equality and fair development. Unfortunately, this side is often neglected or considered in isolation as social initiatives when, for a company, this is perhaps the most important aspect. A company behaving sustainably gets in return:
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