The need to integrate values into environmental curricula

Many environmental problems are controversial because of conflicting values people hold and because there is not a consensus as to which values should have precedence over others. If environmental managers are to make ethical decisions that reflect environmental values, they must have full understanding of such values and types of ethics and principles of moral reasoning to use in the decision-making process. Unfortunately, integration of values into environmental curricula has often not been explicit or comprehensive. One result is that university-trained environmental managers do not possess the knowledge, skills, and methods necessary for more ethically based decisions. An analysis of attitudes about integrating values and/or ethics into environmental curricula and approaches to do so yields the conclusion that environmental programs should more fully include teaching about values and ethics so that environmental managers can make more ethically sound decisions.     

Integrating product quality and environmental performance through innovation—the l'oréal case

Meeting the demands of today's marketplace has become an increasingly complex challenge for corporations in all industries. The consumer is demanding high-quality products, low cost, and more recently, a new variable: environmental performance. Customers will not accept sacrifices in quality or cost to help businesses meet regulatory requirements or develop environmentally sound products. They want it all. Consequently, companies are faced with the complex task of balancing cost, quality, and environmental performance.     

Why—and how to—benchmark for environmental excellence

Benchmarking your company'S environmental program against that of another company or organization is one of the more effective means of assuring it is on track toward environmental excellence. If used properly and objectively, it provides a means of gauging the progress of your environmental program while allowing both companies to benefit from new and innovative ideas for improvement. Benchmarking is capable of measuring program efficiency, program design, and program outputs. Benchmarking also provides environmental managers the unique opportunity of sharing successes and failures with respect to program integration into operations. This article describes the steps involved in designing and implementing benchmarking to assess the design of an overall environmental management program.     

How to integrate information strategy planning with environmental management information systems—part I

Rational, cost-effective provision of mission-critical environmental management information remains elusive for almost all large enterprises. Even among the best performing companies—best performing from the perspectives of profitability, quality and/or environmental stewardship—environmental management information systems (EMIS) are usually comprised of dozens to hundreds of individual, isolated applications that require costly data capture, training, and maintenance. This article, the first of two, will discuss ways to coordinate information infrastructures with strategic goals and business processes.     

Applying the baldrige quality criteria to environmental performance: Lessons from leading organizations

Over the last thirty years, we have seen a dramatic shift in values that people and corporations place on environmental responsibility. People have become more aware of how the earth's limited resources are being rapidly depleted. High levels of consumption have resulted in increasing manufacturing and transportation needs which in turn lead to greater energy use, higher usage of hazardous and toxic substances, and decreased air and water quality. Leadership for environmental protection has shifted from vocal environmental advocacy groups to corporate executives. Driven by shifting customer requirements, competitive pressures, and resource conservation technologies, environmental issues are becoming embedded in the fundamental business strategies. In this article we will describe the application of the Malcolm Baldrige quality award criteria to environmental management and show how the focus on quality principles and tools can improve profitability. Examples from the Xerox Corporation and other companies will be provided to illustrate the breadth of environmental improvement initiatives that are being implemented.     

Applying a TQM framework to the public policy process: Part I—the framework

In Part I of this article, a TQM framework is described that can be used to analyze as well as manage the public policy process. Key elements of the framework include leadership, issues analysis, goal and policy development, strategic vehicles, implementation, indicators and outcomes, and stakeholder review. The framework can be used to analyze public policy cycles, predict future issues and outcomes, and develop more sustainable approaches to manage linked economic, environmental, and societal issues. In Part II, the framework is used to examine the effectiveness of management of environmental issues in the Great Lakes region over the past three decades and to demonstrate the need for a more integrated approach to regional management.     

The reversible process concept applied to the environmental management of large river systems

The wetland ecosystems occurring within alluvial floodplains change rapidly. Within the ecological successions, the life span of pioneer and transient stages may be measured in several years or decades depending on the respective influences of allogenic (water dynamics, erosion, and deposition) and autogenic developmental processes (population dynamics, eutrophication, and terrestrialization). This article emphasizes the mechanisms that are responsible for the ecosystem changes and their importance to environmental management. Two case studies exemplify reversible and irreversible successional processes in reference to different spatial and temporal scales. On the scale of the former channels, the standing-water ecosystems with low homeostasis may recover their previous status after human action on the allogenic processes. On the scale of a whole reach of the floodplain, erosion and deposition appear as reversible processes that regenerate the ecological successions. The concepts of stability and reversibility are discussed in relation to different spatiotemporal referential frameworks and different levels of integration. The reversible process concept is also considered with reference to the energy inputs into the involved subsystems. To estimate the probability of ecosystem regeneration or the cost of restoration, a concept of degrees of reversibility is proposed.     

Sustainable management of demolition waste—an integrated model for the evaluation of environmental, economic and social aspects

A model is presented for evaluating waste management systems for their contribution to a sustainable development, including environmental, economic and social aspects. The model was tested in a case-study, where groups of long-term unemployed people were offered both education on environmental issues and practical work with the recovery and recycling of building and demolition waste as a form of vocational development. Application of the suggested model revealed the overall effects on sustainability of different methods of waste management. In addition, negative aspects of the systems analysed were identified, which led to discussions about possible improved practices within the waste management systems. Two of the waste management systems investigated (the recycling of steel and re-use of sanitary porcelain) showed a potential contribution to sustainable development in all of the aspects studied. Preparing bricks for re-use showed the largest potential for eco-efficiency, but had negative effects on sustainability from the social perspective of health and the working environment. The possibility of further use of the model and the remaining obstacles to such analyses are discussed. One observation is that the data collection needed to perform this kind of sustainability analysis is resource-demanding, and that it would therefore be better to identify a smaller number of key indicators.     

An approach to environmental assessment within the land‐use planning process: Northern Spanish experiences

The problems involved in environmental assessment of land‐use plans are discussed. A methodology is proposed for incorporating into the assessment of a plan the modifications that the physical environment would experience as a result of the plan's implementation. Thus, EIA can be integrated into the planning process. Impact assessment and comparison between alternative plans can be made using quantitative and qualitative indicators, some of which are proposed. Several case studies in northern Spain are used as the basis for the suggestions made.     

Nonpoint source pollution, environmental quality, and ecosystem health in China: introduction to the special section

The rapid economic and industrial growth of China, exemplified by a 10-fold increase in its gross domestic product in the past 15 years, has lifted millions of its citizens out of poverty but has simultaneously led to severe environmental problems. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 2.4 million deaths in China per year could be attributed to degraded environmental quality. Much of China's soil, air, and water are polluted by xenobiotic contaminants, such as heavy metals and organic compounds. In addition, soil quality is degraded by erosion, desertification, and nutrient runoff. Air quality is further compromised by particulates, especially in heavily populated areas. Research shows that 80% of urban rivers in China are significantly polluted, and poor water quality is a key contributor to poverty in rural China. Economic and industrial growth has also greatly expanded the demand for water sources of appropriate quality; however, pollution has markedly diminished usable water resource quantity. Desertification and diminishing water resources threaten future food security. In recent years, China's government has increased efforts to reverse these trends and to improve ecosystem health. The Web of Science database showed that the percentage of articles on China devoting to environmental sciences increased dramatically in recent years. In addition, the top 25 institutes publishing the papers in environmental sciences were all in China. This special issue includes seven articles focusing on nonpoint source pollution, environmental quality, and ecosystem health in China. The major issues, and results of these studies, are discussed in this introduction.     

Environmental culture change in local government: a practised perspective from the international council for local environmental initiatives—Australia/New Zealand>

Environmental culture change, a seemingly intangible concept, is fast becoming an important indicator of success for organisations delivering sustainable development around the globe. This article provides an analysis of local government's ability to affect culture change within its organisations and communities, and the role the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives—Australia/New Zealand (ICLEI-A/NZ) has in assisting local government with this process. While the impact ICLEI-A/NZ has had on the culture change movement is difficult to define, the methodologies adopted by the organisation have been designed to institutionalise the integration of environmental decision-making concepts and practices in local government. This article discusses the degree to which ICLEI-A/NZ's capacity-building campaigns and other performance-focused initiatives have instilled core environmental values in local government.     

Local authorities and sustainable development: Turning policies into practical action through performance review—a case study of the London borough of hackney

Local authorities are increasingly undertaking policy initiatives which aim to achieve local sustainability. Indeed, the rapid development in this area since its first tentative steps in the late 1980s is very impressive. However, it is legitimate to question whether any real progress has been made in improving local environmental conditions. This is almost impossible to determine as very few have translated policy rhetoric into measurable environmental achievement. Although the development of sustainability indicators will, in the long term, provide some means of measuring success, few authorities have the necessary precursor for its achievement in place: performance-based environmental programmes. This important stage of development has been all but missed in the rush for national and international credibility, often at the expense of local communities and their environment rather than for their benefit. This paper examines the activities of one local authority, the London Borough of Hackney, and its efforts to translate policy principals into practical Action for the Environment through the mechanism of performance review. It is concluded that performance review has a valuable role to play in achieving environmental improvements to help move society towards sustainability but, like any mechanism, there are limitations in its use which need to be acknowledged if it is to be used effectively. These are explored in detail in the paper in the hope that they assist others when developing similar performance-based environmental programmes.     

Making the Business Case for Sustainability: How to Account for Intangible Benefits—A Case Study Approach

Sustainability is continuing to change the way businesses operate. Stakeholders are insisting that corporations implement more responsible business practices, and they are holding them increasingly accountable for their associated environmental and social impacts. Research has provided significant contributions toward sustainability‐related tools and best practices, allowing sustainability to be integrated even farther across business operations. However, challenges still exist, preventing many companies from fully integrating sustainability. Although intangible benefits are not commonly included in business case assessments, such benefits can be derived through sustainability initiatives and may offer additional value in evaluating the business case for sustainability. In this article, we review current literature on accounting methods for the business case for sustainability as well as currently available methods or tools that are capable of estimating intangible benefits. In addition, we use case studies to illustrate if, and how, companies are accounting for intangible benefits, and we identify best methods for accounting for intangible benefits.     

CO2SINK—From site characterisation and risk assessment to monitoring and verification: One year of operational experience with the field laboratory for CO2 storage at Ketzin, Germany

The CO₂SINK pilot project at Ketzin is aimed at a better understanding of geological CO₂ storage operation in a saline aquifer. The reservoir consists of fluvial deposits with average permeability ranging between 50 and 100 mDarcy. The main focus of CO₂SINK is developing and testing of monitoring and verification technologies. All wells, one for injection and two for observation, are equipped with smart casings (sensors behind casing, facing the rocks) containing a Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) and electrodes for Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT). The in-hole Gas Membrane Sensors (GMS) observed the arrival of tracers and CO₂ with high temporal resolution. Geophysical monitoring includes Moving Source Profiling (MSP), Vertical Seismic Profiling (VSP), crosshole, star and 4-D seismic experiments. Numerical models are benchmarked via the monitoring results indicating a sufficient match between observation and prediction, at least for the arrival of CO₂ at the first observation well. Downhole samples of brine showed changes in the fluid composition and biocenosis. First monitoring results indicate anisotropic flow of CO₂ coinciding with the “on-time” arrival of CO₂ at observation well one (Ktzi 200) and the later arrival at observation well two (Ktzi 202). A risk assessment was performed prior to the start of injection. After one year of operations about 18,000 t of CO₂ were injected safely.