Sustainability: business, life, environment

While the energy side of the climate change conversation often receives much of the publicity, individuals and business are becoming aware of the link to water.  Most people understand that it takes energy to produce water and that water can produce energy (hydroelectric power); however, the complexity of the relationship can be seen in just about every aspect of our society.
 
Water is a critical issue for business – without it supply chains will collapse.  And now, more inquiry into the supply chain is forthcoming.  Why?  It's become commonplace in the sustainability world to say water is the next oil of the 21st century but it may be more accurate to say it's the new carbon. 
 
A project, launched this week by the Carbon Disclosure Project, asks over 300 of the world's biggest companies to report their water use on behalf of 137 major financial institutions that have signed a request for information.  Among other things, the questionnaire sent to 302 corporations in water-intensive industries asks for details on water consumption, the percentage of a company’s operations in water-stressed regions of the world and a breakdown of how much water in their supply chains come from such areas.   The problem is, much like carbon management, most businesses do not have information on water consumption for its internal operations or by its suppliers. 
 
Recent growth in eco awareness has accelerated research to expand within technical circles towards framing the water and energy related issues and searching for solutions. A report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development discusses the complexities and interrelationships between water, energy and climate change.  The report comments: “If we truly want to find sustainable solutions, we must ensure that we address all three in a holistic way.  They are pieces of the same puzzle and therefore it is not practical to look at them in isolation.”
 
Water, carbon, and energy management is becoming a critical sustainable business strategy to address internal and external supply issues.    Creating supply chain management alignment through increased eco awareness, cooperative business relationships, and applied sustainability concepts can have immediate business impacts and reduce business sustainability risk.  Taiga Company provides professional consulting and business resources to business leaders seeking to make significant and sustainable improvements in their internal and external operations.