I tend to agree with pocharle about keeping government out of defining the next phase of the green electronics supply chain. We already have a laundry list of international laws dictating recycling, hazardous materials use, and take-back programs. I don't think more legislation - at least at this current inflection point - will take us to the level where the supply chain really should be heading.
What we need are truly innovative-minded companies and cross-industry expertise to seriously re-evaluate existing "green" limits, assess environmental and business gaps on much deeper level, and stretch well beyond one-off solutions that minimally address complex issues or only superficially seem to earn a green tag.
I'm not a Republican but I feel that the less government intervention in non-life threatening business practices, the better. Once they get their hand in 'legislating' what's considered green & what's not, the lobby pool will be filled with sharks of all kinds. The business folks will do what's best for their bottom line but as long as the environment is helped, I'm all for it.
Barbara and Ariella, I agree with you that Green is subject to varied interpretations across the board. Frankly, I call it money saving ventures - whichever way or angle you want to view it.
Seriously it is high time government legislate around this issue and ensure that there are clear guidelines, definition and clarity as to what green entails for "sustainability of Green IT" to continue, thrive and become effective.
But I would suspect, Barabara, that then that the companies that dominate theindustry would come up with a definition that allows them to claim their business to be "green." Perhaps we need some type of general guideline about avoiding waste of paper and energy.
I think the problem across the bord is the lack of a standrd or definition for what is "green." It may mean each industry has to come up with its own rules and defintiions, but that would go a long way toward separating the rhetoric from the achievement.
There's mint green, olive green, grass green... But for many companies, I think the real green is the shade of greenbacks. For example, I score essays for Pearson, a for profit education company that has the contract to score standardized tests that involve hand written essays. The company boasts of "scoring green." How green are they really? The company claims it's saving the planet by insisting on direct deposit and not sending out any paper checks or "advice" statement of payment. But the real motive there is substantial savings on postage costs for thousands of pieces of mail. The scorers don't use paper because all the papers are scanned into to be viewed over the internet. Yet, we are encouraged to print out the "anchor set" of papers to review them throughout scoring. So it doesn't really boil down to eliminating all paper, only the paper that the compnay would have to print and mail.
EBN Dialogue enables and encourages you to participate in live chats with notable leaders and luminaries. Not only editors and journalists, but the entire EBN community is able to comment and ask questions. Listed below are upcoming and archived chats.
Archived Dialogues
Thailand Stages a Comeback Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Euro-Crisis: What It Means for High-Tech Firms Join EBN Editor in Chief Bolaji Ojo and Contributing Editor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday, July 12, at 10:00 a.m. EDT for a Live Chat on high-tech and Europe's economic difficulties.
Microsoft Surface: Potential Winners & Losers What are the implications for the electronics industry supply chain of Microsoft Corp.'s decision to launch its own tablet PC? Join industry veteran and EE Times' systems and OEM expert Rick Merritt on Tuesday, July 3, at 12:00 pm EDT for a Live Chat on this subject.
Join EBN contributor Jennifer Baljko on Thursday August 23, 2012, at 11:00 a.m. EST for a live chat on how electronic manufacturers in Thailand have shored up their supply chain to reduce the impact of future natural disasters.
Peter Drucker famously said "Trying to predict the future is like trying to drive down a country road at night with no lights while looking out the back window." Yet in the razor's-edge world of electronics—with a lean supply chain and just-in-time demands—the need to know the future is vital.
While no one really can accurately predict the future, we can take guidance from another Drucker saying which is the best way to predict the future is to create it.
You've heard the saying "the No. 1 supply chain risk is your people." That hasn't always been the case. But today's complex global supply chain requires a new type of multitalented employee. It's one who understands, finance, marketing, economics, is savvy with technology, graceful with relationships and can think analytically.
Where are these people? Are universities properly preparing the next generation supply chain professionals? How do train your existing workforce for these new, demanding positions?
Brian Fuller, editor-in-chief of EBN, will lead a 60-minute Avnet Velocity panel discussion that will ask and answer these and other questions swirling around today's supply-chain talent challenges.
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