1. (40 points) What are the Four Major Environmental Threats (according to Avlonas and Nassos)?
a) How do they relate to each other?
b) Which of the threats drive the development of the other threats?
c) Which of the companies that you studied are the most threatened by each of the threats and why?
2. (30 points) An international food company has over $6 billion in annual revenue. Its major products are fresh and packaged fruit and vegetable products sold worldwide. Products include bananas, pineapples, dried and frozen fruits, gelatin/fruit ready to eat products, packaged salads, juices and related products. It owns its own plantations in South America (accounting for 35% of their product) and also contracts with other growers for the remainder of its supply chain (accounting for the other 65% of their product). They also own a fleet of over 20 refrigerated barges to transport their foods worldwide.
You have been hired to provide recommendations to the company for ideas to conserve water and reduce its water footprint.
a) Describe in detail
two or more
of the best recommendations for the company to reduce its water footprint.
b) For each recommendation, specify what component of the water footprint does it affect (i.e. green, blue, gray).
c) For each recommendation, specify the watershed in which the impact of the recommendation will be realized (i.e. local or global).
3. (30 points) An international clothing-retailer company sells over $15 billion in revenue per year. It operates over 5000 stores world-wide, including several different “concept stores”, targeting specific fashion markets (i.e. young professional, students, children adults, rock culture, etc.) The company contracts separately with its suppliers who are located all over the world, primarily in inexpensive labor markets. Approximately 20% of its sales are internet sales. Products sold on the internet are delivered both directly and through its brick and mortar outlets.
The company has hired you to provide recommendations for its Extended Product Responsibility (EPR) program.
a) Describe in detail
two or more
recommendations for the company to improve its EPR program.
b) For each recommendation, describe what public policy initiatives (if any) need to be developed in the market countries/local governments to facilitate these recommendations.
c) For each recommendation, describe what implementation system is employed to implement the recommendation.
d) For each recommendation, describe any technical limitations that will limit extent of the program.
4. (40 points) An integrated power generation and distribution company, located in the Midwestern United States, owns an electrical generation capacity of approximately 6000 MW. Their generation fleet capacity breaks down as follows:
a) Coal - 2400 MW
b) Natural Gas (without carbon capture) - 2400 MW
c) Nuclear – 600 MW
d) Wind – 600 MW
You have been asked to recommend a strategy for their future development of electrical generation capacity, in order to achieve an 80 % reduction in carbon footprint by 2050.
A) Recommend a projected generation fleet mix with a 2050 capacity by type of generation (i.e. coal, natural gas, nuclear, wind, hydroelectric, solar, etc.)
B) Specify the recommended 2050 capacity for each type of generation in the recommended generation fleet mix.
C) Specify whether or not carbon capture technology is projected to be installed on the above facilities by 2050.
D) Give your future economic assumptions (i.e. Do you predict low or moderate renewable energy costs, do you predict low or moderate natural gas costs, etc.)
E) Do you think the government will need to provide economic incentives (i.e. carbon taxes, or carbon cap and trade systems, etc.) to make such a transition economically feasible?