Sustainable Production Defined

The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production offers the following definition: "Sustainable Production is the creation of goods and services using processes and systems that are: non-polluting conserving of energy and natural resources; economically efficient safe and healthful for workers, communities, and consumers socially and creatively rewarding for all working people."

Products and services are:

safe and ecologically sound throughout their life cycle;
as appropriate, designed to be durable, repairable, readily recycled, compostable, or easily biodegradable;
produced and packaged using the minimal amount of material and energy possible.

Processes are designed and operated such that:

wastes and ecologically incompatible byproducts are reduced, eliminated or recycled on-site;
chemical substances or physical agents and conditions that present hazards to human health or the environment are eliminated;
energy and materials are conserved, and the forms of energy and materials used are most appropriate for the desired ends;
work spaces are designed to minimize or eliminate chemical, ergonomic and physical hazard.

Workers are valued and:

their work is organized to conserve and enhance their efficiency and creativity;
their security and well-being is a priority;
they are encouraged and helped to continuously develop of their talents and capacities;
their input to and participation in the decision making process is openly accepted.

Communities related to any stage of the product lifecycle (from production of raw materials through manufacture, use and disposal of the final product) are respected and enhanced economically, socially, culturally and physically. Continued economic viability does not depend on ever-increasing (i.e., unsustainable) consumption of materials and energy.

For more information from the The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production click here.