Green Production and Industry

Green production increases the efficiency of standard industrial practices while eliminating or minimizing wastes at their source, rather than after they have been generated. In industrial processes, green production includes conserving raw materials and energy, eliminating toxic raw materials, reducing the quantity and toxicity of emissions and wastes, and minimizing waste and emissions of the aggregate production.

Major changes in current industrial production and consumption systems are required to meet the needs of a growing world population while using environmental resources in a sustainable manner. To achieve a more rational and integrated use of resources, a reorientation of science and technology toward the objectives of sustainable development is necessary and achievable by incorporating green design into all facets of industry.

Green design is a growing industry trend begun in the fields of architecture, construction, and interior design and now moving to all aspects of industry and production. Green design is also referred to as “sustainable design,” “eco-design,” or “design for the environment.” The broad principles are fairly simple: choose energy efficiency wherever possible, work in harmony with surrounding resources, and use materials grown using sustainable methods or recycled rather than new materials from nonrenewable resources.

To determine true sustainability, all production technologies and products should undergo a comprehensive life-cycle analysis (LCA), a means of quantifying energy and raw material use and the waste generated at each stage of a product's life. Ideally, an LCA includes quantification of material and energy needed for raw material extraction; manufacturing of all components; use requirements; generation (if any, as in the case of solar photovoltaic cells); end-of-use (disposal or recycling); and distribution/transportation between each stage. Based on LCA, methods are applied to reduce materials and energy required during a product's life cycle. LCA optimization not only means lower materials and energy requirements for a product but also encourages extending the useful life of a product.

Green design begins in the initial research and design phase. Unfortunately, the assessment of trade offs between the environmental attributes associated with competing processes or products is extremely challenging due to technical, societal, and cultural perspectives associated with environmental quality. In the green design process, designers may look at the source, makeup, and toxicity of raw materials; the energy and resources required to manufacture the product, and how the product can be recycled or reused. Balanced with other considerations such as quality, price, ease of production, and functionality, eco-designed products are environmentally and economically viable alternatives to traditional products.