Smart sustainability

Whether anyone believes it is hype or not, times are tough. With a financial crises leading to a housing crises, which leads to other dilemmas, the idea is to come out of this downturn with a running start.
One of the ways to hit the ground running is creating a sustainable environment.
“In difficult times like these, it is more important to get together to share ideas so we can come out of this stronger than before,” said Andy Chatha, president and founder of ARC Advisory Group during today’s keynote address at the industry research company’s “Winning Strategies and Best Practices for Sustainable Manufacturing” conference in Orlando, Fla. “I don’t have to explain it any more than you hear every day, the environment is volatile.”
The idea of sustainability has gained considerable momentum, especially after energy prices went through the roof this past year and are starting to inch up now.
“The question is not what is sustainability,” said Alan Hecht, director of sustainability with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency during his talk today at the ARC conference. “The issue really is how do you make it operational.”
Sustainability has quite a few definitions, but in short it is about energy, energy management and green initiatives.
Talking to the audience of automation professionals, Hecht said, “as we look ahead, you are the ones that will make sustainability operational.”
He added government and business were headed in different directions over the past eight years when it came to the concept of sustainability, but now the two entities are on the same page.
“Sustainability works when it adds to the bottom line,” Hecht said.
“We know from data and from our daily lives, we are facing difficult times,” Hecht said. “These times further push us toward our goals of sustainability. Green is competitive and it is workable.”
When it all comes down to it, companies have to get support throughout the enterprise to create a sustainable environment.
“Sustainability has to start at the top,” said Angel Mendez, Cisco senior vice president of customer value chain management. “You have to start it internally. If not, it is hard for everybody to follow.”
The idea also does not just apply to one area of a company. “Manufacturing is not an island,” Mendez said. “You have to take a comprehensive view of a product from cradle to grave.”
“We are building a sustainable strategy and applying it,” Mendez said. “Most people get it, but the subject is so broad, the definition can vary.”
Whatever the definition, the concept has to move forward to ensure a positive impact on the environment. All of that goes beyond just industry.
“The public is demanding sustainability and science and technology can make it happen,” Hecht said.