Leaning and Greening the Supply Chain

Abstract

A version of the American Clean Energy and Security Act, passed by the House of Representatives in June 2009, mandates a 17% cut in emissions by 2020 and upwards of an 80% cut by 2050, based on emissions from 2005. This impending legislation is a challenge to companies already trying to survive in an economic downturn. It is critical that the decisions made by the companies with respect to economic survival and environmental awareness are studied by engineering students. Learning from both good and bad corporate decisions will equip tomorrow's workforce better to prevent both economic and environmental disasters. This paper presents a case study of a lean supply chain that illustrates one company's efforts to cut costs while reducing, and thus improving, its impact on the environment.