Page 32 - Hojnik, Jana. 2017. In Persuit of Eco-innovation. Drivers and Consequences of Eco-innovation at Firm Level. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 32
In Pursuit of Eco-innovation
ucts and delivering new services is not the only issue of eco-innovation,
which also includes reduction of environmental impacts in the way prod-
ucts are designed, produced, used, reused and recycled (EIO and CfSD
2013).
The lifecycle perspective of eco-innovation includes the following
stages (EIO and CfSD 2013):
- resource extraction (reduction of environmental pressure and
impacts by limiting extraction of virgin resources and also limi-
ting “unused” extraction),
- manufacture (with regard to using fewer resources – including
energy),
- use or substitution of materials with less environmental impacts,
less pollution and waste production,
32 - distribution (reduction of impacts through better packing de-
sign, reuse and recycling, reduction of fuel and energy in tran-
sportation and storage),
- use (use of less resources (e.g., materials, energy, land and water),
less pollution and waste),
- “end-of-life” (reduction of impacts of waste disposal by impro-
ving the quality of waste or decreasing the volume of waste).
Reid and Miedzinski (2008, 4) summarize as follows: “All types of
innovations leading to a lower resource and energy intensity at the stag-
es of material extraction, manufacturing (both in relation to the com-
ponents and final product), distribution, use, reuse and recycling as well
as disposal are considered eco-innovations if they lead to a decreased re-
source-intensity from the perspective of the whole lifecycle of the prod-
uct or a service. Indeed, the concept of cradle-to-cradle takes the minimi-
zation of waste to a logical extreme”. Furthermore, Figure 2 summarizes
product lifecycle stages, which have been presented by Maxwell and van
der Vorst (2003, 885). They have presented concept SPSD (sustainable
product and/or service development) defined as “the process of making
products and/or services in a more sustainable way throughout their en-
tire lifecycle, from conception to end of life” (Maxwell and van der Vorst
2003, 884). These products and/or services are developed in order to bal-
ance economic, environmental and social aspects – they imply develop-
ment towards sustainability regarding the Triple Bottom Line (Maxwell
and van der Vorst 2003, 884). As we can see from Figure 2, the product
and/or service lifecycle starts at conception (the stage of concept and de-
sign of a potential product, service or product service systems), followed
ucts and delivering new services is not the only issue of eco-innovation,
which also includes reduction of environmental impacts in the way prod-
ucts are designed, produced, used, reused and recycled (EIO and CfSD
2013).
The lifecycle perspective of eco-innovation includes the following
stages (EIO and CfSD 2013):
- resource extraction (reduction of environmental pressure and
impacts by limiting extraction of virgin resources and also limi-
ting “unused” extraction),
- manufacture (with regard to using fewer resources – including
energy),
- use or substitution of materials with less environmental impacts,
less pollution and waste production,
32 - distribution (reduction of impacts through better packing de-
sign, reuse and recycling, reduction of fuel and energy in tran-
sportation and storage),
- use (use of less resources (e.g., materials, energy, land and water),
less pollution and waste),
- “end-of-life” (reduction of impacts of waste disposal by impro-
ving the quality of waste or decreasing the volume of waste).
Reid and Miedzinski (2008, 4) summarize as follows: “All types of
innovations leading to a lower resource and energy intensity at the stag-
es of material extraction, manufacturing (both in relation to the com-
ponents and final product), distribution, use, reuse and recycling as well
as disposal are considered eco-innovations if they lead to a decreased re-
source-intensity from the perspective of the whole lifecycle of the prod-
uct or a service. Indeed, the concept of cradle-to-cradle takes the minimi-
zation of waste to a logical extreme”. Furthermore, Figure 2 summarizes
product lifecycle stages, which have been presented by Maxwell and van
der Vorst (2003, 885). They have presented concept SPSD (sustainable
product and/or service development) defined as “the process of making
products and/or services in a more sustainable way throughout their en-
tire lifecycle, from conception to end of life” (Maxwell and van der Vorst
2003, 884). These products and/or services are developed in order to bal-
ance economic, environmental and social aspects – they imply develop-
ment towards sustainability regarding the Triple Bottom Line (Maxwell
and van der Vorst 2003, 884). As we can see from Figure 2, the product
and/or service lifecycle starts at conception (the stage of concept and de-
sign of a potential product, service or product service systems), followed
