Looking Into The Future Of Green Living And Manufacturing

Green living is a relatively new phenomenon that has come a long way in a very short time. Moreover, the technology and programs for green living are only going to advance in the near and long term future. For instance, the amount of materials that can be recycled into new products has risen dramatically in only a decade. Beyond that, it will become easier and more practical to recycle, not to mention more economic. The next five, ten, twenty years will have a major impact on how people treat and steward their environment.

The Future Of Recycling Bins

In the near future, more and more waste management programs are moving to single stream recycling containers. This means that end users, homeowners, businesses, and industries do not have to sort their recyclable material beforehand. Newer processing and sorting facilities can handle a single stream of waste that contains a mixture of different types of recycled material.

One of the largest impacts of single stream programs is to make filling up recycling containers easier and more convenient. This will help to increase participation and increase the volume of waste that is captured and can be reused in new products.

Corporate Product Stewardship And Cradle To Grave Design

Most green initiatives were created to handle waste that was never really designed to be recycled. Older electronic waste is full of toxic substances and heavy metals that would ultimately end up on landfills and then into the ground and water supply. The future of manufacturing will be cradle to grave design, meaning that products are engineered with reuse, recycling, and disposal in mind. Tomorrow’s products will be designed to be modular, reusable, and as raw materials for continued production.

One example that is happening today is the take back program that allows customers to bring older models of electronics back to a retailer to purchase the latest model. Meanwhile, the old models can be properly disposed of and reused by the manufacturer.

Changing How We Use Oil

Petroleum is the basis for nearly all plastic products. As the price of oil continues to rise, every day products become more expensive. Recycled plastic also becomes much more economically attractive. As more and more plastic items are recycled and reclaimed for reuse, society will begin to lessen its dependence on oil. This will help save a non-renewable resource from being depleted and help keep greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, even to the point where we can one day begin to reverse the effects of global warming.

The Long Term Goal

The long term goal for green living is zero waste. Simply put, the ideal situation is to have every item that we use become the raw materials for new products as they are made. One day, landfills may no longer be needed as one day’s waste becomes the next day’s goods. With a combination of cradle to grave design, reuse, and recycling, zero waste is an achievable goal and a worthy investment.