Category Archives: Sustainability

The benefits of recycling robots to enable recycling efficiency

An article in techcrunch.com, titled “Recycling robots raise millions from top venture firms to rescue an industry in turmoil”, describes challenges faced by US recycling companies as a result of China’s lowering of the contamination threshold for recyclable content combined … Continue reading

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Exporting hurricane damaged “total loss” cars

An article in the Wall Street Journal (April 5, 2018) titled “Hurricane-Damaged Cars Moving Again as U.S. Exports”, describes the disposition of over 600,000 cars declared a “total loss” i.e., whose repair cost would exceed their replacement cost. These cars … Continue reading

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Clothing related waste and possible solutions

A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/A-New-Textiles-Economy_Full-Report_Updated_1-12-17.pdf) describes the global clothing sales increasing from 50 billion units in 2000 to 100 billion units in 2015 while the number of times clothese were worn on average before being discarded decreasing … Continue reading

Posted in Air, Capacity, Collaboration, consumer, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 63 Comments

Are “slow growth chickens” the future ?

An article in the New York Times (May 1, 2017) titled “A Chicken that Grows Slower and tastes better” describes a plan by Perdue Farms to develop chickens that take 25% more time to mature, get more time to run … Continue reading

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Will Sweden’s proposed tax breaks for repair and reuse of products improve outcomes ?

An article in the Guardian (September 19, 2016) titled “Waste not, want not: Sweden to give tax breaks for repairs” describes a plan to cut value added tax for repairs of bicycles, clothes and shoes from 25% to 12 % and … Continue reading

Posted in consumer, Global Contexts, Operations Management, ordering, Service Operations, Sustainability, Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

The GM vs Tesla Supply Chain competition for EVs

A New York Times article (September 15, 2016) titled “Upstart car, unexpectedly, from an old-line carmaker” describes the launch by General Motors of the Bolt, with a range of over 200 miles. The article claims that GM outsourced battery production … Continue reading

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Product of Italy” or “Made in Italy” labels

An article in the New York Times (February 28, 2016) titled “Italy Growers Wary of Olive Oil Fraud as New Law is Weighed” , describes details of the “product of” law for olive oil as requiring use of Italian know … Continue reading

Posted in consumer, Cost, Global Contexts, labeling, manufacturer, Prices, product, Sustainability, Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Conscious Supply Chain Management at H&M

A report in Sustainable Brands (http://tinyurl.com/qg5gtn7) titled “H&M Unveils Conscious Denim, Signs Agreement for More Conscious Supply Chain Management” describes initiatives with the International Labor Organization (ILO), Solidaridad and Jeanologia to audit its water use, energy consumption, working conditions, fair … Continue reading

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Nike’s water footprint across the supply chain and reduction efforts

Nike’s Materials Sustainability Index discussion (http://www.nikeresponsibility.com/report/content/chapter/water) focuses on the 217 billion gallons of water consumed across its supply chain, with 7% generated by raw material production and cotton accounting for 87% of that use. A focus on reducing the absolute … Continue reading

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Solar Roadways hopes to charge cars as they run on roads

A company called Solar Roadways (http://www.solarroadways.com/intro.shtml) claims to have a prototype installation of solar panels embedded in roads that can charge cars as they drive. Given that vast road network that can be harnessed with embedded solar panels, the company … Continue reading

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