Water Matters

Water Stewardship: An Untapped Industrial Opportunity

View this email in your browser

Forward

Water Day Every Day

The physical, financial, and social advantages of Eco-Economic sustainable manufacturing solutions, which benefit the environment and the bottom line, have been proven again and again. Using natural resources (i.e., water, energy, mineral resources, etc.) as efficiently as possible, and with minimal or zero waste, is a logical choice for protecting human health and the environment, as well as for creating economic value.

Although practical solutions (i.e., new technologies, processes, engineering controls, data and management systems, equipment, etc.) are readily accessible and available, there remains a great deal of untapped potential to implement these solutions to reduce industrial resource use, and achieve sustainable and eco-economic business results.

Each year, March 22^nd is designated as World Water Day. Reinforced by the United Nations and among other global organizations, Water Day is an opportunity for us to be mindful of our water consumption. Here at HARBEC, Inc. we take water stewardship very seriously, so much so in fact that we are announcing that we will be a Water Neutral manufacturing facility and business by the end of this year. As we make this bold commitment, we dedicate ourselves to the consciousness of Water Day, every day!

We dedicate this Solutions Newsletter and our Blog to sharing information and examples on how industry is taking a strong commitment to water stewardship. In the process, industry is creating new technologies (new products, businesses, and revenues) along with, reducing use of water resources, yielding economic savings and environmental benefits. The opportunities in water stewardship are limitless. As with all of our Solutions Newsletters, please feel welcome to share with us your thoughts on how industry can continue to lead in the development of more sustainable solutions.

Is your business tagging water as a strategic and operational issue?

Few companies "tag" water as a core issue — with strategic, operational and supply chain implications. Even fewer have water as a budget earmark with staff allocations.

This omission is significant because corporate "tagging" of an issue is key for driving action. Support from senior management is offered, funding flows and people engage. Without a specific "tag" on an issue, it is as if it does not exist.

At present, water is commonly perceived as a commodity and easy-to-acquire input. Water issues are often perceived of as "exceptional" (particularly if there are challenges) and "outside of the business."

This assessment could not be further from what we see around us in the world. MORE...

BLOG

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), less than one percent of the total water on earth is fresh water available for human uses including drinking, transportation, heating and cooling, and industry. The balance of water is not readily available for human use because it is saline (ocean water), tied up in snow, ice, and glaciers, or in other mediums of storage such as water vapor.

There has been a lot of attention brought to water through the drought situation in California but the problem is worldwide. In February the Washington Post published an article: “A ‘megadrought’ will grip U.S. in the coming decades, NASA researchers say”. Scientific American and National Geographic had similar articles. READ MORE...

Press Release:

Our latest news:
HARBEC, Inc. Establishes Water Neutrality Goal for 2015

Socioeconomics and Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region

This interactive shows how the social and economic characteristics of the Great Lakes Region are impacted by regionally specific changes in climate. It was developed in partnership with the Great Lakes Adaptation Assessment for Cities at the University of Michigan. MORE...

Water is integral to the performance, quality, price, and longevity of every component we make.

LEARN MORE...

Facebook

Twitter

YouTube

Google Plus

Blog