Do you even notice that at what cost we are initiating revolution changes in and around the world? The books we read, the dresses we wear, the stuffs we eat and the list goes on. Have you ever thought of the impact of all these things? Every man made object goes through a certain manufacturing process which proves to be way more harmful to the environment than we think. You will not believe that the resources used to produce every little stuff around us require resources, energy and labor to produce it and we don’t care to bother about those little things.
When we consider an object near us, such as a smartphone, we may not directly observe the energy used to produce it, but we know that manufacturing electronic devices involves significant energy consumption, especially during the production of components and assembly. However, the exact energy sources and their cleanliness may vary depending on the manufacturing location and company policies.
Regarding the materials, a smartphone consists of various metals, minerals, and other components. These materials are sourced from different regions globally, making it challenging to pinpoint their precise origins. Responsible manufacturers often aim to use ethically-sourced materials, considering environmental and social impacts.
It is also essential to note that the manufacturing supply chains for many products can be complex and involve various suppliers and subcontractors. Unfortunately, some unethical practices, such as poor working conditions or labor rights violations, can occur in certain parts of the supply chain. However, responsible companies work towards ensuring fair labor practices and human rights standards are upheld throughout their manufacturing processes.
HISTORY OF SUPPLY CHAIN
Let us understand the history of supply chain which dates back to the aftermath of Second world war. After the Second World War, the supply chain depended on just one basic aspect- COST. So, the production capability became cheap, but have you wondered, at what cost? The unethical manufacturers try to produce goods at a cheaper rate, using cheap resources and labor, impacting the climate drastically in several ways.
Global manufacturing has far-reaching impacts on various aspects of our world, including global ecologies, human right and the climate. While we may generally neglect various complicated manufacturing processes of various goods, the definite impacts also remains ignored.What we do know is that supply chains for the goods we consume have a significant carbon footprint, amounting to 11 times our personal carbon impact. In fact, these supply chains contribute to a staggering 30% of all global emissions, making manufacturing the largest contributor by sector.
IMPACT ON CLIMATE:–
Manufacturing processes have significant impacts on the climate due to the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions associated with them. Let us see how manufacturing anything affects the climate:
- Industrial Processes: Certain manufacturing processes release GHGs directly as by-products. For example, cement production emits CO2 during the chemical transformation of limestone into clinker.
- Transportation and Distribution: The transportation and distribution of raw materials and finished products to and from manufacturing facilities adds to the carbon footprint.
- Deforestation : Some manufacturing processes involve cutting down numerable trees, adversely affecting the environment in various ways. Deforestation reduces the number of trees that can absorb CO2 from the atmosphere, leading to higher GHG concentrations.
4. Chemical Emissions: The use of certain chemicals in manufacturing can lead to the emission of GHGs and other harmful pollutants. For instance, the release of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from refrigeration and air conditioning equipment contributes to climate change.
5.Waste Generation: Manufacturing produces waste and by-products, some of which can be hazardous. Improper disposal or management of waste can result in methane emissions, a potent GHG.
DATA IS THE SOLUTION:-
It would be incorrect to say that manufacturing does not involve any innovation at all. Companies like Tesla, Vinfast and SpaceX reveal us what can be achieved through an innovative approach to the systems that create the products we love. They use different data to innovate products and use transparency as one of the most important manufacturing processes. These firms have no restrictions in collecting data and using it to innovate eco- friendly products for consumers.
This particular approach should be inculcated in the manufacturing industry across the whole word. We must systematically organize different types of data like human rights data, ecological data, capability data, manufacturing data etc. in order to combat the challenges we face today.
A data- rich future entails all the possibilities in the manufacturing industry. By having the comprehensive dataset, we can not only face all the challenges faced by the world, but can also produce environment friendly goods and can give transparency and confidence on the products bought by the consumers. There is a bright future ahead of us in the manufacturing industry, once we have the hand on the data-set which will not only enhance the creativity but also enable data driven design tools to produce various goods.
In conclusion, we can say that dataset is the new solution to enhance and uplift the manufacturing industry as well as taking precautions to protect and save our mother earth.