The Responsibility of the Corporate World to the Environment

Reader Contribution by David Glenn
1 / 2
2 / 2

Although phrases such as “going green,” “Eco-friendly,” and “global warming” have only begun to surface during the last several decades, the true history of environmentalism goes back much further. It may not often get mentioned in the history books, but environmental impact has had as much to do with the shaping of the modern world as any war or election. The term “environment” as we use it today is relatively new, but it was adopted to encompass existing issues of conservation or protection of natural species and resources. But despite the deep roots that environmentalism has in history, the movement itself has only begun to pick up steam in the last half century or so. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the practices associated with business.

Early corporations never paid much attention to the environment. It seemed to exist as a simple green background on which the important act of production took place. If any thought was directed towards it at all, it was only in regards to the raw resources that were there for the taking. No one—at least, no one in any position of power—bothered considering the lasting impact of these practices. And as mountains were leveled and forests were burned for the sake of progress, businesses established precedent that would continue to haunt the world centuries later. Even now, as more and more people are struggling to heal the scars of the past, many businesses continue to view the natural world as expendable. 

However, what’s done to the environment is done to all of us, and it’s time for businesses to take responsibility for the damage they’ve been doing. Here are a few environmentally sound policies that every business, (and household), should adopt.

• Use only renewable building materials.

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368