Sustainable engineering economic and profitability

One of the current environmental/economic/societal buzzwords is sustainability. In this context, sustainability represents the ability to maintain an acceptable lifestyle at the present level and into the indefinite future while preserving the environment. This means that over time and as populations increase in size, the Earth s resources must be used at a rate such that they can be replenished naturally and that emission levels of pollutants are maintained at acceptable levels. For engineers, this concept of sustainabihty translates into being responsible for the development of sustainable products. An internationally accepted standard, ISO 14001, has been established to help organizations comply with applicable laws and regulations and address the delicate balance between being profitable and reducing impacts on the environment. ... 

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