Resources

Resources

Books

The following provides a sample of books and publications on eco-efficiency and related issues such as eco-design and life cycle assessment. Also check the individual link pages on these and other topics for additional references.

Tools for Environmental Management
This book provides a practical introduction and guide to 22 environmental management tools.

Centre for Sustainable Design

The Centre for Sustainable Design in the United Kingdom has an on-line bookshop which provides information on books, publications and other references on eco-design and eco-product development at http://www.cfsd.org.uk/ including:

Sustainable Solutions: Developing Products and Services for the Future
Published: 2001
ISBN: 1 874719 36 5

• The book provides both analysis and case studies and highlights the progress made by a wide range of companies towards dematerialisation, eco-innovation and design for durability.

O2 Global Network

This international network of designers provides an extensive listing of "best books" related to eco-design including:

Trespassers: Inspirations for Eco-efficient Design
Published: 1999
ISBN: 9064503753

• This book provides a compilation of inspiring projects and ideas for designing products and services.

United Nations

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) makes available a number of publications through its online bookshop including:

Eco-design: A Promising Approach to Sustainable Production and Consumption
ISBN: Unknown

• The manual, written jointly by UNEP, Rathenau Institute and Delft University of Technology, offers companies a step-by-step approach to produce an eco-design program.

Life Cycle Assessment: Towards a Global Use of LCA
Published: 1999
ISBN 92-807-1740-5

• This publication reviews the current status of the theory and practice of LCA, and discusses the barriers to - and the potential for - its wider application.

Life Cycle Assessment: What it is and How to do it?
Published: 1996
ISBN: 9280715461

• This UNEP publication outlines how LCA is currently practised and how it is expected to develop. It also lists organisations, software tools and publications dealing with LCA.

World Business Council on Sustainable Development

The following publications and others are available:

Sustainability through the Market: Seven Keys to Success
Published: 2001

• This report presents an agenda - including eco-efficiency and innovation - for improving markets so that they advance sustainable development. Company examples are provided.

Eco-efficiency - Creating more value with less impact
Published: 2000

• This report is an essential compendium of information, case studies and a reference source for all those wishing to understand eco-efficiency.

Cleaner Production and Eco-efficiency: Complimentary Approaches to Sustainable Development
Published: 1998

• This publication is a joint effort of the WBCSD and UNEP and illustrates that these concepts go well beyond pollution prevention and are moving towards resource productivity, life cycle thinking, performance disclosure and greater stakeholder involvement.

Eco-efficient Leadership for Improved Economic and Environmental Performance
Published: 1996

• This publication explains what eco-efficiency is and why it is so vital in today's competitive business world.

Additional References

How to do Eco-Design? A guide for environmentally and economically sound design.
Published: 2000
ISBN: 3-89802-025-8
Published by: Umweltbundesamt Berlin and can be ordered by Fax: 49 (0) 69 50 95 97 -310

• The text introduces methods, strategies and tools for eco-design such as tools for environmental analyses, cost assessment and creativity techniques. It is based on research conducted in Germany and numerous case studies in the book show that eco-design is successful.

Eco-efficiency and Materials
Published: Unknown
Available from: the International Council on Metals and the Environment

• The concept of eco-efficiency is examined from a materials perspective. The authors, Five Winds International, show how a better understanding of the physical and chemical properties of different materials can help guide more appropriate environmental improvements.

Financing change: The financial community, Eco-efficiency and Sustainable Development Published: 1996
Available from: MIT Press

• The financial community can help shape the future of sustainability. The book examines the roles of the various players in the financial arena such as investors, analysts, bankers, insurers, accountants and rating agencies.

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CASE STUDIES

Canadian Success Stories
This site provides information on pollution prevention success stories from Canadian companies and organizations related to water and energy conservation, process modifications, product reformulation/redesign, raw material substitution, and clean technologies.

Eco-efficiency Centre
This site contains success stories on the issue of business and environment, in the Atlantic region.

Eco-Efficiency and Cleaner Production Case Studies
Environment Australia's collection of case studies show how companies can reduce production costs, save resources, reduce waste and maintain a competitive edge.

The Application of Biotechnology to Industrial Sustainability - OECD
This report contains case studies from Canada and other countries on biotechnology applications in industrial processes that can help improve the environmental friendliness of industrial activities, lower both capital expenditure and operating costs, help reduce raw material and energy inputs and waste.

Eco-efficiency Case Studies - WBCSD
The collection currently features a selection of eco-efficiency and sustainable development case studies from the World Business Council on Sustainable Development.

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