The Simple Switch - a site developed by Phillips. This is a very useful tool for any company looking for ways to save energy. By answering the questions on this site you will discover the “energy color” of your facility and compare your facility with other facilities in your area. You will immediately receive recommendations to improve performance and cut costs. Every company should be looking at energy consumption, if for no other reason than to save money. Reducing energy use is often the “low hanging fruit” that many companies are looking for.
Integrating Lean Principles into Sustainability - Lean principles, by which I mean the application of Toyota Production System (TPS) concepts about manufacturing processes and specifically including the elimination of waste and non-value-added activities, are becoming synonymous with green principles, by which I mean concepts designed to minimize a company’s impact on the environment. This article’s focus on efficiency and the minimization of waste can be a guide to companies in how they can start linking their lean processes with their green processes, or vice versa. What is especially appealing about this article is that recent studies, reports, and best practices are confirming that Small Medium enterprises are particularly well suited to put Lean and Green thinking to work in their strategic plans.
