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Rethinking Logistics for the Circular Economy
Many people stop by a coffee shop or a convenience store almost every day. They pull a styrofoam cup off a stack, pour a cup of coffee, pull a coffee stirrer from a container, and mix sugar and creamer in. Finally, they place a plastic lid on the cup and continue driving to work. When…
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Why Green Supply Chain Management Is Important
Making responsible environmental practices part of supply chain management isn’t just the moral thing to do, it’s also good business. A more sustainable supply chain is also a less wasteful supply chain, and reducing waste can lower a business’ total cost of business (TCOB) while also enhancing industry reputation. This is just one of many…
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Can Plastic Be Sustainable?
The use of plastic is controversial and growing more controversial every day for two reasons. The first is that plastics are polymers generated from petroleum and petroleum byproducts. The oil industry has a controversial record of environmental mismanagement, and for some environmentally concerned persons, plastic’s origins from oil irrevocably taint it and give it no…
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Sustainable Product Transportation and Why It Matters
The implementation of sustainable product transportation is one of the thorniest problems facing us today. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the U.S. logistics system moved more than 56 tons of freight per person in 2015. The numbers have only risen since this estimate was calculated, and the vast majority of this freight is…
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What Are the Benefits of a Closed Loop Supply Chain?
Sustainability and environmentalism have transformed from topics at the fringes of society to mainstream concerns that affect consumers’ daily lives and purchasing decisions. Recyclable packaging and environmentally friendly certifications are found on many products. More and more customers look for these marks when shopping for food and packaged goods. However, there’s a clear consensus that…
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The Circular Economy and Packaging: How Reusable Shipping Materials Can Close the Loop
Circular economies have always been with us. The world’s natural systems are constantly recycling minerals, nutrients, and energy. Early human civilizations developed with the help of these natural cycles. What has been changing since the industrial revolution is that the global economy has vastly outstripped the pace at which these natural systems can work. The…
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Supply Chain Management for the Circular Economy: Reducing Waste and Lowering Costs
Supply chain management in the circular economy focuses on eliminating waste to improve operational efficiency and cut costs. Finding opportunities to create and support a circular supply chain requires that businesses audit their processes, labor pools, and the tools that support them. By reviewing these elements with a critical eye, most supply chain managers will…
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Reducing Food Waste in the Supply Chain
Food waste is a growing problem. It’s estimated that by 2030, total annual losses due to food waste could reach $1.5 trillion globally. Misuse of resources is one part of this problem, as when manufacturers overproduce or overstock items that go bad before sale. However, much of this food waste takes place before products ever…