The negative impacts on the environment Essay Example

HOW COMPANIES INCORPORATE ALTERNATIVES TO MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Lecturer

How Companies Incorporate Alternatives To Minimize The Negative Effects On The Environment

Abstract

It is true that corporations can make a big step towards reduction or elimination of the negative impacts they imply on the environment. In their associated whole product life cycles, every business can boldly execute a plan to yield to less adverse impacts to the environment. Therefore, every player must take an analysis of their activities and act to secure the environment, whether as regards their raw materials, power source, and packaging habits. Thus, much can still be done for a better atmosphere.

Introduction

Since the onset of industrialization, which has been characterized by the development of many diverse companies, there has been a significant pinch on the environment. The separate companies have resulted in various adverse effects on the environment as a consequence of the resources made use of by these institutions. This paper, then focuses on how businesses can incorporate alternatives to reduce the impacts they have on the environment. We necessarily are steering on to green economies to combat the trends already noted regarding the environmental degradation that is on the rise.

What can each company do to reduce any negative impacts they have posed to the environment? What needs to be phased out or substituted so that we eliminate some threats to the environment we inhabit? What technological advancements can we incorporate in companies to aid in stepping down environmental degradation? These and more are some questions that this paper focuses on to explore possible solutions to this impending critical quagmire on our environment.

This paper takes a look at technology based companies such as mobile phone and accessories manufacturers in an inquiry into what possible solutions these can engage. In this line, this research takes into consideration Huawei Investment and Holding company Ltd, as an illustrative sample company to get possible implementations of solutions into the current environmental muddle. The paper probes what enterprises in this line of dealings and other companies can do regarding their raw materials management, production processes, power sourcing, packaging and distribution to steer towards a “healthy” environment while still safeguarding their business activities even at higher effectiveness.

Findings and Discussions

The following are the findings that show some of the ways of how corporations can counter negative impacts to the environment:

Power Sourcing

Every company needs power, that is, electrical energy to steer their operations. However, there are several sources of energy which businesses can exploit[CITATION Hua13 l 1033 ]. Each of these numerous sources or types of electrical power supply carry along with themselves, as a package, advantages, and disadvantages on the environment. Huawei Investments and Holdings Company, as of 2013, allude to its successful utilization of solar power in its various operations as a successful venture to a safer environmental protection. This is an alternative source of energy that is helping reduce emissions to the environment, such as of carbon (iv) oxide, sulphur (iv) oxide and other poisonous gases produced in various combustions[CITATION Hua13 l 1033 ].

Combusting coal, petroleum products to produce energy indeed provide power, but does not best take care of the environment, our habitat[CITATION Jer13 l 1033 ]. These can be substituted with other sources of energy which keep the environment ‘green.’ For instance, the use of solar power successfully helped Huawei’s Dongguan campus minimize emissions by 3,228tonnes and generated additional 3.5million KWh of electrical energy. Hydroelectric and geothermal power similarly alleviate the problem of emissions.

Packaging

This research found out that packaging of products is as of critical concern as the importance of the packaged products; be it for electronic goods and foodstuffs. A lot of heaps of litter in the United States, China, and Africa are majorly packaging materials. This means that the companies that manufacture these products have a responsibility in the condition of the atmosphere as regards pollution[CITATION Jer13 l 1033 ].There’s therefore dire need to make use of biodegradable packaging and enforce recovering, recycling and reuse of any non-bio degradable packaging. For instance, Huawei mobiles are making efforts towards environmentally friendly packaging methods.

It is recommendable that Huawei Investment and Holdings Limited has since 2014 used Soy Ink[CITATION Hua13 l 1033 ]. The latter is environment-friendly, for the packaging of its products. For example, Huawei Honor 3C mobile phone is packaged with Soy Ink. This is a promising venture for mobile device manufacturing companies in light of maintaining our habitats life. There unreservedly stand a couple of other safe means of doing the ‘things’ every business has always done. It is these that will heal the environment.

Materials Management

In our critical chase after a green life-enhancing globe and home, it is of fundamental concern that companies keep a watch on the raw materials and other material inputs they make use of in their operations[CITATION VRA16 l 1033 ]. This first of all implies attaching importance to the conformance to all the environmental laws in any company setting, based on international environmental protection guidelines, policies, and standards. It is of no triviality at all for a company to come up with a substance –list that regards their production; upon which evaluations and analyses should be based to identify any hazardous materials being used[CITATION VRA16 l 1033 ].

This study established that the materials used in production to finally define the wastes released into the environment. For instance, the use of conventional plastic for making parts of electronic gadgets such as mobile phones means that we’ll eventually have more plastic waste which is non-bio degradable and thus unfriendly to the environment in several[CITATION Jer13 l 1033 ]. This paper noticed some alternative materials that can substitute this plastic based materials and one of these is bio-based plant plastic which is biodegradable and thus environment-friendly. The use of these marks the beginning of the end of plastic waste. Radioactive materials, as globally proclaimed should all (as much as possible) be substituted with other possible alternatives since the hazards associated with radio matter are undoubtedly unwanted.

Transportation Models

Transport is always needed for the distribution of products manufactured and the acquisition of materials for production requirements[CITATION Jer13 l 1033 ].It undoubtedly established that the various transportation means all have a different rating about their impact on the environment; some ways lead to more emissions to the environment while others do not, or at least do not emit as much as others do[CITATION Hua13 l 1033 ]. Pipeline transportation of said liquid products is considerable of high importance in safeguarding the environment than gasoline fueled vehicles would be.

It is unequivocal that gasoline-driven vehicles contribute highly to emissions level into the atmosphere. Railway and sea transport also emit fewer carbon products compared to air travel; companies can prefer means which do not pollute the atmosphere heavily to preserve the environment better. Therefore, given these, companies can supplement or even substitute their preferred modes of transport to make use of more green ones to protect the environment. Huawei, for instance, adopted the usage of the most environmentally friendly, low carbon transport models, while satisfying their delivery requirements[CITATION Hua13 l 1033 ].

Conclusion

Undoubtedly, companies to a cognizable extent contribute to environmental degradation, whether, by the final products they make, a contribution of the materials used or by the processes they execute. Material usage has a lot of input as regards the ultimate trend on the environment. The transportation models were chosen also imply the volume of emissions. However, there are remedies to most of the challenges they pose to the environment.

Recommendations

In light of the exposed facts about minimizing adverse impacts on the environment, companies must exploit various alternatives to curb the problem of environmental degradation. In respect to energy, greener sources of energy such as solar power must be utilized. As regards packaging and materials, every company must dive into exploring environment-friendly alternatives such as the usage of biodegradable matter. This paper also recommends that every company observes all the environmental laws and regulations.

References