Why the Importance of Environmental Management Should Never Be Underestimated

The aim of the National Environmental Management Act is to ensure that South Africa’s natural environment is maintained in such a way that no harm is done to it or its inhabitants, including people, animals and flowers.

While many companies have an environmental policy of their own, successful green management within a company include administrative functions to ensure the development, implementation and monitoring of the environment it is in direct contact with.

When an environmental management impact study is conducted, the impact of a company’s trade on the environment is studied to ensure it won’t be harmful. This kind of study is usually done by professionals that have studied in this field in order to provide an informative analysis of the study. A thorough knowledge of environmental economics, the law, and the surrounding environment is needed for such a study to be used in the future as the result of the study could have a major impact on the environment and the company in question.

As the world is becoming more aware of our fragile environment and the effect we as humans have on it, environmental management is becoming a big concern for many companies. Although most companies will never be able to eliminate their pollution because of the products they manufacture, there are ways to combat the amount of pollution being produced.

Environmental management laws and legislation include matters such as:

• Rhino poaching – this has recently become a serious matter in South Africa where we face the possible extinction of this animal.
• Blending of bio-fuels – this is an action that scientists are hoping will lower the energy costs of travelling, therefore being less harmful to the environment
• Water and air quality – the quality of water and air in industrial areas are becoming more of a problem in residential areas all over the world. As the population increases on a daily basis, so does the amount of water and air pollution.
• Pesticide management – whether you are a farmer using pesticides on your crops or wanting to kill mosquitoes in your home during the summer, the informative and responsible way of using pesticide has become a worldwide concern. The health and safety issues associated with pesticides are elements that need to be looked at before a product can be made available to people.
• Nuclear power stations – water that has been passed through cooling towers at these power stations are radioactive free and therefore have no impact on the surrounding environment, but other studies still has to be confirmed.
• Waste disposal – this is a great concern for environmentalists as people are not concerned with disposing of their waste in a responsible manner. Recycling should be a day-to-day activity for households and companies.
• Climate change – this has become the new buzz term among those concerned about the environment and how it is being managed. With our summers becoming hotter and our winters colder, people have something to worry about.
• Marine life – people are often not aware of the state of the world’s marine life. While the saying goes that there are many fish in the sea, this might not be true in the near future. Certain fish have been put on the endangered species list and if they are not closely monitored might be extinct within a couple of years.

 

According to the Department of Environmental Affairs it is every human being’s duty to help create a prosperous and equitable society living in harmony with the environment. The Government of South Africa practices environmental management at both regional and national level, and many local companies have pledged their support for the continuous research into this matter.