Environmental Regulations

All businesses, regardless of owners' views on environmental protection, have a legal obligation to follow federal, state and local environmental laws. For example, the Clean Water Act limits the amount of waste businesses can produce that end up in water. Some businesses must follow additional regulations. For instance, oil companies must get approval for new offshore oil wells, and coal companies must provide information to the government about environmental and safety practices.

Green Energy

Green energy is any energy that reduces the impact on the environment by decreasing waste or reducing the use of fossil fuels. Wind turbines, electric cars and solar energy are examples. Businesses frequently can save money by instituting green policies, and some green energy remodeling projects can make your business eligible for a tax deduction. When businesses institute green energy systems, they serve as role models to their customers and increase awareness of environmental issues.

Preventing Waste

Businesses tend to produce large quantities of waste. From excess packaging to uneaten food, this waste extracts a huge environmental toll through increased deforestation, greater use of energy and filling up landfills. By using recycled products, businesses can reduce their environmental impact. Policies that encourage customers to reduce their waste -- such as offering a discount for using reusable bags or providing a recycling bin at the business -- can help businesses become leaders in the environmental protection movement. Offering disincentives for waste, such as charging a fee for plastic bags, also is helpful.

Promotions

Business promotions that raise awareness of environmental issues don't just help the environment; they also can improve business. Try having a weekly promotion offering customers a free or discounted item for bringing in a recyclable bag or box. Sponsor a community garden, or offer classes on environmental issues. The right promotion for you depends upon the precise nature of your business, but events or options that draw in customers can cause them to patronize your business both because they're there and because environmentally conscious customers are more likely to patronize green businesses.

The environment is one of the most important moral issues not only because harming the environment often violates our right to noninjury, but also because environmental damage has been incredibly harmful to both people and other animals. Not to mention that many environmental issues can create even more devastation in the future, such as the possible depletion of the world’s resources to future generations.

The importance of the environment not only shows traditional failures of business ethics of the past and present, but it also helps clarify the importance of externalities and animals. Businesses traditionally saw no need to pay for externalities, but we now know that externalities are of grave importance and are often a matter of life and death. Businesses traditionally saw no need to respect animals, but many moral philosophers no longer see any reason to value ourselves over other animals at any cost.

Discuss such issues:

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16