The Science of Sustainability
Common sense tells us that air, water, food, and shelter are fundamental to the survival of humans and businesses. However, the pathway to healthily integrating the two remains a challenge. Read this chapter to explore the important interrelationships between the environment, society, and economics and their importance to sustainable business. What are the merits of both views of economics with limits versus no limits to growth? How do businesses and individuals threaten ecosystems and the environment? What roles can businesses play in addressing environmental challenges as well as the limitations?
Exercise
Watch the YouTube video of vice president of business development Pat Mansfield explaining the EnerTrac monitoring system. Write a paper discussing how his company's product and services link business performance with environmental performance. This is described in this textbook as a "win-win" situation for business and the environment. Find an example online of another product that creates this "win-win" situation, and discuss it.