TechnoBrands

Can you imagine taking a Boeing 747-400 to be recycled? Or how about a General Motors EMD GP50 – that is a whole lot of locomotive to dispose of! There are lots of “very large” and difficult to recycle or reuse products out there, from planes to trains and of course automobiles. The environmental emphasis in consumer automobiles still seems to be on fuel and migrating away from dependence on gasoline (Volvo makes their cars with capability to use 5 different fuel types, Honda & Toyota/Lexus stress their Hybrid products, General Motors is hot on their 2011 Volt electric vehicle). I have to note here that Ford’s web site makes mention of their Rouge Center and new innovative painting process which eliminates steps in the manufacturing process and saves energy. I like to think that all of the auto makers have an environmental stewardship plan that is headed in the right direction, however there is little evidence any attention is being directed toward product end-of-life, and what happens with an engine block, body or frame once it is at the end of its useful service as part of a car.

Ok so this is where I have to make a point on the role of product management in supporting environmental sustainability – there is lots of good product planning being done with respect to how these products are being used and delivering value, however the value proposition declines rapidly once the product end-of-life is reached and the product needs to be gotten rid of. I’d like to advocate that the value of a product needs to be considered for the entire life cycle – from creation to after-life (or “cradle-to-cradle”). In the product planning phase, the long term effects of the “spent” product need to be considered. Also, the requirements of the production process need to have some parameters that guarantee no harm is done (to the environment, the production workers or society). It will be a long time before Boeing and Airbus are designing their products with a mind toward creating things that provide positive technological and biological effects throughout their entire life cycle. Right now they have their hands full with figuring out how to do the least harm with getting rid of what is already made.

In my own sphere of influence I still wrestle with what seem to be “simple” things (even though their long-term impact on the environment may be profound): things like used alkaline batteries, old ink jet printers and cartridges, even contact lens containers. As consumers, how do we change the way that these things get thrown out so that they do the least harm? As product mangers, how do we change the way they are designed and manufactured in the first place so that when they are trashed, they do no harm (or better yet, they enhance the environment)? Something to think about.