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Cohen Seminar on Environmental Impacts of E-Commerce On Thursday, November 4, 1999 Nevin Cohen visited Miami University and presented a lecture on the environmental impacts of electronic commerce, entitled “Creating a Sustainable Digital Economy.” Cohen identified many benefits of electronic commerce: First, it enhances the livability of communities; second, it encourages “just in time” practices, which reduce waste; third, it makes green purchasing more available due to wide access to markets; fourth, it promotes product stewardship by providing a close link between manufacturing and the consumer; and fifth, it leads to dematerialization (such as e-mail use instead of snail mail). Despite all of the benefits of the Internet, Mr. Cohen pointed to potential negative consequences associated with its use. For instance, he was concerned about the negative effects of the Internet on communities, potentially causing a large loss of main street vitality, increasing development of warehouses and increasing population dispersion. The Internet also may require the use of 30-50% more electricity than currently is being produced. Other consequences are ambiguous at this early stage. Some critics of e-commerce worry about the effect it will have on fuel consumption as companies pursue individual and home delivery. Others wonder about the production of highly customized products. How companies will handle returns and reselling of these products is still an issue. Cohen encouraged continued research on the effects of e-commerce on sustainability. |
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