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Manufacturing Our Demise Environmental Impact Term Paper

This occurs until the concentrations become significant enough to interfere with the bodies functions. This is problem is exacerbated by the challenges associated with the extraction of these metals from the environment, once they have entered. These metals are very difficult and expensive to remove from contaminated areas. The troubling reality is that cleanup is never complete. The impact on the human body is long-lasting and disastrous. High concentration of lead has been linked to damage to the central, peripheral nervous system, and the kidneys. Cadmium, which has a long half-life, and therefore is more susceptible to the accumulative effects has been shown to amass in the kidney and will ultimately produce toxic effects. Mercury becomes methylated mercury when it encounters bodies of water. Methylated mercury accumulates easily in organisms. The transfer of mercury from one organism to another also occurs by ingesting the contaminated organism. Mercury has been linked to chronic brain damage. These are only a limited sample of the compounds that damage the environment and people.

Policy can make a difference

Attempts at waste reduction cannot depend on the generosity of companies or individuals. Governments need to engage the legislative agenda to encourage the progress toward the use of green materials. According to Peretz, Bohm, &, Jasienczyk, (1997) the implementation of the right kinds of policies will have an impact on the production of waste. Policy formation is an important aspect of the fight to arrest this problem because of the inertia created by the economic factors. Internationally green product development was catalyzed by government policy Chen (2001). Governments can encourage the production of green products and simultaneously have stringent environmental standards that discourage the status quo.

Conclusion/Discussion

The maintenance of the status quo is unacceptable, primarily because the result will be disastrous for present and future generations. Electronic waste filling landfills contains toxic compounds, which if left uncontrolled will eventually contaminate the water, soil, and air. Companies are influenced...

Securing the future requires that governments become proactive in policy formation that propels the industry toward green components. Green products are a sanctuary on the horizon that must be achieved, if we fail to act, we are slowly manufacturing our demise.
References

Bansal, P., & Clelland, I. (2004). Talking trash: Legitimacy, impression management, and unsystematic risk in the context of the natural environment. The Academy of Management

Journal, 47(1), 93-103.

Boyd, C. (2010). Toward greener electronics. Retrieved from http://www.world-

science.org/forum/green-electronics-epeat-united-pepper/

Chen, C. (2001). Design for the Environment: A quality-based model for green product development. Management Science, 47(2) 250-263.

Goodwin, D.A. (2010). Evaluating the environmental impact of e-waste. Retrieved from http://www.helium.com/items/788516-evaluating-the-environmental-impact-of-e-waste

Kester, G.H. (1993). Out of sight is out of mind: The imaginary space of postindustrial culture

Social Text, 35, 72-92.

Linton, J.D., Yeomans, J.S., & Yoogalingam, R. (2002). Supply planning for industrial ecology and remanufacturing under uncertainty: A numerical study of leaded-waste recovery from television disposal. The Journal of the Operational Research Society,

53(11),

1185-1196.

Mason, M. (2001).Transnational environmental obligations: Locating new spaces of accountability in a Post-Westphalian global order. Transactions of the Institute of British

Geographers, New Series, 26(4), 407-429.

Peretz, J.H., Bohm, R.A., Jasienczyk, P.D. (1997). Environmental policy and the reduction of hazardous waste. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 16(4), 556-574.

Turn back the tide of toxic chemicals. (2010). Green peace. Retrieved from http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/toxics/electronics/

Sources used in this document:
References

Bansal, P., & Clelland, I. (2004). Talking trash: Legitimacy, impression management, and unsystematic risk in the context of the natural environment. The Academy of Management

Journal, 47(1), 93-103.

Boyd, C. (2010). Toward greener electronics. Retrieved from http://www.world-

science.org/forum/green-electronics-epeat-united-pepper/
Goodwin, D.A. (2010). Evaluating the environmental impact of e-waste. Retrieved from http://www.helium.com/items/788516-evaluating-the-environmental-impact-of-e-waste
Turn back the tide of toxic chemicals. (2010). Green peace. Retrieved from http://www.greenpeace.org/international/en/campaigns/toxics/electronics/
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