What is Product Stewardship?

Earth 911 has decided to take on the most important (we think) aspect of our current environmental challenge: How do we, as consumers, learn to consume responsibly and sustainably? In short, how can we continue to buy and use the products we love without destroying the planet.

We know people can’t be convinced to give up all their conveniences, nor should they be. Instead, we have to take a longer range view of everything we make, buy and use, otherwise known as product stewardship.

Examining Product Lifecycles

Every product has a lifecycle. If we concern ourselves only with proper disposal by recycling products rather than throwing them in the trash, we are taking a small step toward product stewardship. But we can take bigger steps by intervening earlier in the lifecycle.

Let’s use paper as an example, because it is one of the simplest products to recycle.

  • We can choose “paper” over plastic at the supermarket
  • The supermarket can buy bags made from recycled content
  • The paper mill can buy lumber from companies that thin trees responsibly, instead of de-foresting large tracts and leaving them open to flooding and soil erosion
  • Every time a tree is cut down, another can be planted for the future

The Supply Chain

Considering the plight of a piece of office paper all the way back to the tree it came from is called “managing the supply chain.” Large businesses that make these products are beginning to “green” their supply chains: to ascertain that their suppliers are after sustainability in their use of raw materials.

Product stewardship involves the unique balance of businesses, consumers and government agencies sharing responsibility for reducing the environmental impacts of products.

Learn more about product stewardship using the links below.

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