EC 008: Using Go and See Events to Reduce Water, Energy and Landfill Costs

Summary For the 8th episode, I am posting the audio (and video of the slides) from a presentation I gave at the IISE Annual Conference last month. The video showing the presentation with slides is shown in the transcript, if you want to see the slides with the audio of my presentation. Email me if you would like

EC 007: Greening Your Lean Events

Summary For the 7th episode, I am posting an older (but popular) article on how to green your lean event. This episode gives tips and tricks to making your lean six sigma events and meetings more eco-friendly. We also include a link in the notes to download a free checklist of these suggestions. There is also a link

EC 004: Dumpster Dives

Summary For the 4th episode, I am posting the 3rd part of a 5 part video course, called W.A.S.T.E. Walks. This episode introduces the “Dumpster Dive” to help reduce landfill charges and the amount of trash or rubbish going to the landfill. You can view the video version of this course for free! The following episode will cover

Boeing Solid Waste to Landfill Sorting Event (Dumpster Dive) at Everett from April 2015

This video was posted on the Boeing website in 2015 to share a trash (waste) sort event at their Everett facility with their 747, 767, 777 and 787 production lines. The goal was to collect data and determine which team is diverting the most trash from the landfill. The winning team was the 777 program,
lean waste stream book review

Book Review: “Lean Waste Stream” by Marc Jensen

The newly published book, “Lean Waste Stream:Reducing Material Use and Garbage Using Lean Principles” is full of resources and information that will make you look at garbage from a new perspective. Normally, we cringe at the thought of digging through the garbage due to uncertainty or embarrassment at what might be found, along with the

Use Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEP) to drive sustainability

If you have a small or mid-sized company in the United States (or Puerto Rico), and are in the manufacturing industry, there is a Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) available to help you. MEP Centers are a diverse network of state, university-based, and non-profit organizations, offering products and services that help manufacturers increase profits, create jobs

Automotive industry sets sustainability guidelines for suppliers

The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has recently agreed to a set of expectations for automotive suppliers, relating to the environment, working conditions, human rights and business ethics (aka Sustainability). But you don’t work in the automotive industry? Keep reading… AIAG is a consortium of automotive companies (Ford, GM, Honda, Toyota, Daimler, Fiat, Chrysler, Volvo),
fostering sustainable behaviors book review

Book Review for “Fostering Sustainable Behavior”

“Fostering Sustainable Behavior” was written to provide resources to those designing and implementing sustainability initiatives, such as reducing waste, increasing energy efficiency, reducing water consumption, and altering transportation patterns. (p.x) Fostering Sustainable Behavior >>> Mackenzie-Mohr and Smith promote an effective concept called “community-based social marketing”. At first, I didn’t understand what this meant, and almost

Hyundai’s Corporate Social Responsiblity discussion with John Krafcik

In an interview with John Krafcik is best known for coming up with the term “Lean” during his time at MIT, as part of a research team comparing American and Japanese automobile manufacturing. He joined Hyundai in 2004 as vice president of Product Development and Strategic Planning after tenures at Ford Motor Company and the

Lean and Green is Free, But its Not a Gift – Lean Blog

In this article, Keivan Zokaei shares his thoughts on Mark Graban’s Lean Blog site. He says that the environmental movement is heading down the same path as the quality movement did in the 1980’s. A famous book from Philip Crosby in 1980 was called “Quality is free: The Art of Making Quality Certain”. He reminds