The Economy and Ecology are not at War

Originally published in the BroadCAST

You may have heard a lot of talk about sustainability, but what does it really mean? When I think of something being sustainable, I think about the long term — long term thinking — making purchases and decisions based on whether something is viable in the long run.

Many people think that if you are pro-environment, it means you are anti-economy, and visa versa. I would argue otherwise. Economic growth does not have to occur at the expense of the environment, and environmental protection does not mean that the economy has to suffer.

The economy and ecology are not contradictory.

There are many benefits to building environmental sustainability into the way companies do business. When a business goes green, not only are they reducing their ecological footprint, they can also reduce costs. For example, through waste reduction initiatives, a company can save in disposal fees.

Sustainable practices can in fact result in economic benefit for a company.

Going green can create a competitive advantage for a business. Consumers want to do business with companies who reflect their values, and the environment is a high priority for Canadians.

To read about the green supply chain management model, visit here.