Personal Ecological Footprint Executive Summary

Background: Refer to the Chapter 5 Supplement: Sustainability in the Supply Chain. Read the section on Sustainability beginning on page 189. Sustainability in the Supply Chain is a developing discipline and we have the opportunity to shape it. In order to prepare ourselves to shape the future of supply chain sustainability, we should look at improving sustainability in our personal operations (how we go about the business of living).

Assignment: Create a systemic cause-and-effect diagram with the desired effect of Reducing My Ecological Footprint. Start with the categories: People, Processes, Purchases, Equipment, Measures, and Environment. (Note that “Environment” refers to causes that affect your ecological footprint, but are outside of your immediate control.) If these cause categories don’t seem to work for you, create a second CED. (See Chapter 6: Managing Quality in our text. There is an example of Cause-and-Effect Diagrams on page 219.)

Write a three page executive summary (double spaced, 1” margins, 12 pt Georgia or Tahoma font) packed with content emphasizing the three or four most significant or most interesting (but practical) actions you could take to reduce your ecological footprint. Provide some quantitative estimates for improvement. Phrases such as; a lot, significant, and a great deal do not tell the reader how much of an improvement your suggestion might make. These actions should come from your cause-and-effect diagram. Attach your C&E diagram along with the 3 page summary. Your summary should reference the C&E diagram.