How Can the Manufacturing Industry Lower its Carbon Footprint?
Frankly, it’s the obligation of the titans of modern industry, both in the manufacturing sector and others, to conduct regular evaluations to identify ways and means to work toward a greener and more sustainable future.
Not only will this have wholly positive impacts on the natural world and the environment, but as consumers are becoming more and more ethically minded, as a manufacturing business, being part of a more sustainable supply chain will only make individual companies more attractive.
With this in mind, here’s how companies in the manufacturing industry can lower their carbon footprint.
Conduct Regular & Thorough Energy Audits
First and foremost, it would be nigh on impossible for even a small manufacturing company to identify ways of reducing the effects of their production processes on the atmosphere if they’re unaware of the areas where they’re wasting energy.
Regular and thorough audits of the entire manufacturing process, both on the smaller scale of individual companies and across the industry as a whole, will help to identify these areas and will provide opportunities where energy can be saved.
Implement Innovative Energy Management Systems
Another crucial component of making a concerted and effective effort to lower the carbon footprint of the manufacturing industry across the world is to implement new and leading energy management systems into the day-to-day production and processes of individual companies.
Energy management systems are already beginning to reduce the energy consumption of the manufacturing industry effectively and impressively and are especially relevant to detect and therefore avoid potential wrong steps that have good intentions at heart.
For example, if a manufacturing process is changed so that less gas is used in one of the stages of the process, this could result in “butterfly effect” changes, resulting in more energy used overall. Leading industry-approved energy management systems will ensure that such mistakes are avoided.
Make the Move to Renewable Energy Sources
Unequivocally, renewable energy sources are the key to moving toward a future where the planet and all animal and plant life can survive and thrive.
Renewable energy sources fundamentally consist of the following:
- Hydropower
- Solar power
- Wind power
As an industry, working to cut the carbon footprint of steel has become substantially more viable in recent years, mainly due to innovative and renowned companies who have made it their life mission to work toward achieving net zero.
If the manufacturing industry on a global scalemade a concerted effort to move toward renewable energy sources, a sustainable future is more likely to be achieved and the carbon footprint of the sector will drastically reduce.
Make Energy Saving Practices a Company Standard
Finally, even though the Earth is in such a position that huge and long-lasting changes need to be made to the entirety of the manufacturing industry, individual businesses can also make a concerted effort to implement energy-saving practices.
Even the simplest actions, such as ensuring that every power outlet and light switch is turned off when not in use and reducing wasted time and indeed, waste itself during the production process, can all come together to help to make a difference.