Aggression: causes, effects, and behavioral outcomes

Green Purchasing

Individual corporations and purchasing agents can and have made a significant contribution to corporate consumer social responsibility with regard to the development of both ideals and implemental structures and plans that follow a "greener" path through the maze of purchasing options. The systems have gone from an implied idea of need, in the 1960s to the development of plans that help professional buyers seek out and find both manufactured and raw goods that are developed and/or obtained in a more environmentally conscious manner than other options. These organizations both new and adaptable have begun to see the value in creating sustainable practices, be it utilizing recycled paper or substantially reducing the waste (or reusing it) they produce in the processes they use to bring products to market. This work will act as a definitive source of information regarding the who, what, where and when of green purchasing. The project will illuminate all issues related to "Green Purchasing," i.e. sustainable purchasing, environmental sourcing, and buying green from the organization's perspective. The target audience is professionals working in the purchasing career.

The writing contained with this work is an exploration of the historical and current state of corporate consumerism regarding environmentally friendly or green purchasing for the purchasing professional. It develops ideas and concepts and explains several key terms and processes which corporations and individual purchasing agents may implement to further the goal of green corporate purchasing. The work will demonstrate ways in which purchasers can find information and better understand the varied aspects of green purchasing, following several different applied methods of green buying to the conclusion and comparing and contrasting them. The work will also point out the governmental aspect of sustainable purchasing looking at varied ways in which governments have sponsored and/or implemented legislation that demands standards for sustainable purchasing. Each of these various aspects will show the purchasing professional the current state of sustainable purchasing in a local and global perspective.

A i) the evolution of "green purchasing" and how the concept matured along the time path of the environmental movement beginning from Rachel Carson's, book Silent Spring, the classic that launched the environmental movement in the 60's

The initial response to the movement sparked by Carson's extensive work was demonstrated by legislation that attempted to curtail the use of agents that were found to be harmful to the environment. A minimal alteration in consumer purchasing and the beginning of the natural market industries was also seen. Since that time many NGOs and foundations have been established as well as government agencies to combat pollution and contamination from manufacturing and waste. Agricultural chemicals have been reduced in number and allowable use to a much less significant level than was possible before. Self-regulation became a thing of the past, to some degree as the government began to demand accountability in the form of fines mostly. Some businesses chose to continue to do business as they had previously and incorporate the cost of the fines into the bottom line, while others chose to eliminate or reduce their environmental impact. In the long run those who chose innovation for more sustainable production are those that have endured. In many ways "green purchasing" is the product of this change.

In the wake of the 1960-70s regulations that sprang in part from the movement that Rachel Carson and her followers developed came many local and regional organizations to fight regulations that demanded individuals and larger entities follow environmental regulations, without the funding to do so. Eventually, though these same organizations designed to combat environmental regulations became more aware of the reasoning behind such regulations and have now begun to advocate for change.

First, September 11, 2001, focused the nation on, among other things, the need for energy independence. That has created a new dialogue and a willingness to seek new options. Second, there is growing concern that worldwide environmental degradation in the form of global warming is setting the stage for a disastrous legacy to future generations. (Novinson, 2007, p. 6)

These same people, chairs and nobodies alike also serve as the major consumers in society. These consumers have as they have become more aware of environmental concerns become more aware of the need to regulate industry to enforce environmental regulations as well as buy "green" to help stem the tide of all the extreme and rapid environmentally unfriendly ways in which businesses conduct themselves to grow or retain profit at as rapid a pace as possible. This reputation for profit above all, is of course a reputation that is only partly responsive to the real development of sustainability within the business and government communities. In reality both the public and private sectors have seriously answered the call for sustainable practices and one of the ways they have done this is by developing a subsystem for procurement that includes sustainability is issues as its main component. "A key aspect of being sustainable is getting the balance right between economic, environmental and community needs." ("Council Rewards Green Firms," 2007, p. 1)

It took hundreds of millions of years to produce the life that now inhabits the earth -eons of time in which that developing and evolving and diversifying life reached a state of adjustment and balance with its surroundings. The environment, rigorously shaping and directing the life it supported, contained elements that were hostile as well as supporting. Certain rocks gave out dangerous radiation; even within the light of the sun, from which all life draws its energy, there were short-wave radiations with power to injure. Given time-time not in years but in millennia-life adjusts, and a balance has been reached. For time is the essential ingredient; but in the modern world there is no time." (Carson, 2002, pg. 6)

Rachel Carson developed and extensive and often cited source describing all the ways in which the modern world has deemed time an unnecessary factor in its scientific pursuit of control of the earth, regardless of the long-term effects of its actions and standards. Carson goes on to describe countless ways in which science and industry has meddled in the workings of nature and created mutations and diseases among plants and animals that have significantly altered the reality of the world in which we live, and will likely continue to do so. Additionally, the work called to people's attention the carelessness with which corporate and government entities assault the earth to better a single or minimal number of factors at the expense of countless others. Carson began an instrumental change in the way that the public viewed government and corporate actions, no longer allowing itself to assume that good intentions rules the standards with which these large entities made decisions about how and where they would conduct business.

These consumers have also worked themselves up into the ranks of the same businesses that they believed were at the heart of the major environmental concerns of the era and if they have not then they have become much more aware of their business practices. The dominant stream of information then from consumer groups and from business professionals has become one that cries for the action of businesses in their demand for corporate environmental responsibly. Additionally, many people remember living through periods of economic recession and fuel scarcity which has made them more keenly aware of the function of supply and demand as well as the limitations of resources. (Sroufe, 2006, p. 1-3) the manner in which corporations have become more environmentally conscious has hence become a big aspect of innovation and creativity in business today. Producers have since responded by developing systems that often save them money, may be initially more costly but more effectively respond to the known needs of the environment. Changes such as reuse or reduction of waste products, innovative utilization of energy sources, environmental site cleanup, and most importantly creating a chain of suppliers and preferred business partners who are also living the sustainability mantra through "green" innovation is currently changing the face of business. Organizations all over the world have adopted "green" mantras and are demanding more information from producers as well as more innovative sustainable practices to reduce waste and scarce resource utilization. Consumers are answering the call by demanding such information and practices as well. The adoption of these ideals has created the need to develop tools for seeking and finding resources which are sustainably produced or procured. In addition to consumer and business demands for such products governments are now increasingly involved not only in environmental protection legislation but direct industry laws that demand sustainable practices be used by businesses and individuals. (International Green Purchasing Network Starter Kit, NP) "Green" practices and procurement has become a marketable asset to businesses as they seek to retain market share, large purchasing agreements and individual customer bases. One of the most significant needs is a large pool of effective and innovative purchasing agents who are willing and able to fulfill the role of "green" procurement agent, through research and innovative supply chain development and implementation. These agents must sustain profitably and prove, economically and logistically why innovative "green" supply chains are realistically more effective than the status quo of historical procurement. Continuing education in both formal and informal fashions must be developed to increase the efficacy of the procurement agent, with regard to "green" purchasing. Changing both large and small organization patterns for procurement can eventually trickle down to even the most uncaring consumers, of which there is a dwindling number. Sroufe, provides a list of environmental performance indicators which have become increasingly important and recognizable issues in today's production society.

2006, p.15) ii) the business reasons for "greener purchasing"

There are literally hundreds of reasons for the development of sustainable business practices, not the least of which is ensuring the long-term existence of the business and production needs.