Businesses and the Environment: Roles, Obligations, and Implications

Hundreds of individuals are being killed from the repercussions caused by the lack of concern towards the welfare of the environment. In fact, the drastic changes in the weather, the increase in occurrence of natural calamities, as well as the rise of sea level, are just a few of the well documented changes to the planet that are currently posing risks against mankind.

In this sense, it is not refutable that businesses, due to the general goal of raising income, have in a way contributed to the occurrence of such environmental problems through various means.

Therefore, with the global trend of addressing these environmental concerns through the individual level, I believe that businesses must also take part in the effort through lowering the ecological footprint of their operations. The term ecological footprint pertains to the overall usage of resources as well as release of byproducts which may be applied at the business level (Global Footprint Network [GFN], 2009). Businesses consume and pollute at an elevated rate gains a greater ecological footprint which means that the business significantly adds to environmental damage.

Hence, in order for businesses to gain a lower ecological footprint rating, examples of what can be done including the use of alternative power sources, taking consideration of harvesting and fishing limits, shifting or imposing more efficient trade routes, and using more energy efficient processes or machinery. It is apparent that adopting a business practice that places the welfare of the environment into consideration may not be as complex as commonly thought of.

In fact, some of the practices might even lead into bigger savings, as the use of more efficient devices most commonly results in the reduction of operating costs for example.

Aside from benefits that businesses must consider, the most important idea that business leaders must keep in mind is that if in the future the environment worsens further to the point of humans being eliminated, then such a future will indeed be not good for business. Reference Global Footprint Network. (2009, April 27). Overview. Footprint Basics. Retrieved June 8, 2009, from http://www. footprintnetwork. org/en/index. php/GFN/page/footprint_basics_overview/.