Select an organisation with which you are familiar and write a report on how you would transform a clearly defined segment of the organisation into a sustainable business segment. Do not select an organisation from the internet.You cannot collect the required information from company websites. Selection of an appropriate organisation and organisation segment and clear definition of the boundaries of your study is absolutely critical to successful performance in this assessment. You must have access to the organisation via employment, family connections, or you can select a local business with which you are familiar and which you can approach to request specific information to enable you to complete this assessment. It is suggested that you select a small organisation or a small segment of a larger organisation, and discuss your selection with teaching staff in weeks 1 to 2 of the teaching session. Do not select an organisation from the internet.You cannot collect the required information from company websites. Assignment tasks Part A Organisation and boundaries (10 marks) 1. Briefly describe the organisation including size, location, products and/or services provided, provide an overview of the relevant production and/or operating systems and explain your connection to this organisation. (2 marks) 2. Select a segment of the organisation which you will transform into a sustainable business segment. This segment may be a department of the business, or a functional entity within the business, or a product or service which the company provides, or (part of) the organisation's production, operating or administrative system. (2 marks) 3. Clearly define the organisational segment which you will transform and clearly identify the boundaries of your segment. Note that every organisation requires human resources; staff facilities; cleaning; numerous administrative and managerial support services as well as purchasing, accounting and distribution services; capital equipment and premises from which they operate. Using an appropriate diagram, show your organisational segment and the key service and production functions which support the provision of the organisation's product or service to customers. Which of these support functions are included and which are excluded from your sustainability transformation? Draw boundaries around your chosen business segment clearly showing these inclusions and exclusions from your study. (6 marks) (Note that the business segment must be broad enough so that you have the opportunity to make 15 recommendations for transformation to sustainability in part C). Part B Input-output chart (10 marks) 1. Prepare an input-output chart which identifies all major resource and energy inputs and pollution and production outputs at each separate stage in the production and distribution systems within your organisational segment. You are not required to include actual quantities of inputs and outputs. (6 marks) 2. Utilising your input-output chart identify the major causes of unsustainability with direct reference to specific inputs and outputs at critical stages along the production/operating/distribution cycle. (4 marks) Part C Recommendations to improve sustainability performance (30 marks) Provide 15 specific recommendations for transformation to sustainability in the following performance categories Management of land and biodiversity on which business premises are located; Water management; Energy and carbon management; Supply chain and transport management; Waste, pollution and recycling management. Many of these recommendations will apply the principles of eco-efficiency, dematerialisation and conservation of resources to reduce the unsustainability of the organisation's operations. You need to provide at least one recommendation in each of the 5 categories and a maximum of 4 recommendations in any one category. You do not need to estimate the cost of any of the recommendations, however if this information is readily available you may include it. Recommendations must apply sustainable business principles, be specific, targeted at the unsustainable aspects of your chosen business and linked to the organisation's industry sector and its specific products and services. Significant detail must be provided to demonstrate that each recommendation is viable for your business from a sustainability perspective, although you do not need to establish that the organisation has sufficient financial resources to implement your recommendations. (15 x 2 marks each) Part D Product or process redesign to achieve long term sustainability (15 marks) Drawing on the principles of cradle to cradle design, waste equals food, biomimicry and natural capitalism design a closed loop production system for your organisational segment, product or service to achieve sustainability in the long term. Where relevant you may draw on recommendations from part C. Describe existing barriers to becoming sustainable and identify appropriate new technology and behavioural change to overcome such barriers. Part E Social impact of the organisation (10 marks) Discuss the major social impacts which your organisation has and make recommendations how it can improve its social performance. Note that this social analysis can be focused at the organisational level. Your suggestions may remove existing negative social impacts and/or improve positive social impacts. Note: Past reports prepared by students are provided in unit documents to illustrate the style and standard required for this assessment, but please note the assignment instructions have changed significantly from previous years. Sustainability Analysis Lobethal Bierhaus Towards Sustainable Brewing Prepared for: Geoff Lamberton Southern Cross University, Lismore Assignment: 2 Unit: Sustainable Business Management Unit Code: MNG10253 Due: 20/5/09 Prepared by: Alison Atkinson Student Number: 9412 3445 1 Contents Page 1. Introduction 3 1.1.1 Scope of analysis 1.1.2 Brewing 5 1.1.3 Input/Output analysis (identifying-lifecycle management) 7 2. Energy Management 8 Recommendations 3. Waste Management 9 3.1.1 Atmospheric emissions 10 3.1.2 Waterborne waste 11 3.1.3 Solid waste 12 3.1.4 Co-products and products 13 Recommendations 4. Water Management 17 Recommendations 5. Materials Management 18 Recommendations 6. Social Sustainability 19 Recommendations 7. Sustainability Accounting 7.1.1 Performance Indicators 23 24 Environmental Performance Indicators Social Performance Indicators Economic Performance Indicators Recommendations 8. Future Sustainability Outlook & Conclusion 25 References 27 2 Introduction The argument for sustainable business has never been more compelling. Lovins & Lovins (1999) state that '...the earth's ability to sustain life, and therefore economic activity, is threatened by the way we extract, process, transport, and dispose of a vast flow of resources.' To date much of the discussion has focussed on large resource guzzling industry sectors but ABS figures (as cited by COSBOA 2009) show that Australia alone has some '...1.8 million small businesses...' and the sector '...represents 95% of all [Australian] business...' so clearly the collective impact is significant and the sector needs to do it's bit if for no other reason than self preservation. Lobethal Bierhaus is a multi award winning boutique brewery situated in the Adelaide Hills town of Lobethal SA. It is a fledgling business operating since 2007 and is comprised of a micro-brewing operation, cellar door, restaurant and e-tailing division via http://www.ahcb.com.au/. Proprietors Phil Jones and Alistair Turnbull run a quality operation and are always looking at ways to improve the performance of their business and position it securely for the future. As former bankers they are also acutely aware of many traditional business risks. However achieving sustainability has not previously been a business consideration. Worsening environmental conditions globally and South Australia's critical shortage of water resources pose a significant and real threat to the business operation and society generally. Sustainability should be an ongoing consideration as part of overall business strategic management. Becoming a sustainable brewing business fits well with their organisational goals and philosophies. This report aims to highlight the need for Lobethal Bierhaus to become sustainable and to provide practical recommendations for achieving it. Some significant progress has been made in sustainability research in brewing and this report will indentify sustainability improvements made in existing brewing operations and other relevant industries to demonstrate that a sustainable Lobethal Bierhaus is realistically attainable. 1.1.1 Scope & Limitations This report should be seen as a practical plan and positive first step toward Lobethal Bierhaus becoming a sustainable business operation. It does not seek to address the wider sustainability issues pertaining to inputs using extractive resources or issues related to the 3 sustainability of agricultural production or industrial manufacturing techniques of brewing and bottling inputs nor is it intended as a comprehensive solution. 100% Sustainability is the ultimate goal however due to brewing operations current reliance on steel (an extractive resource & key manufacturing input into brewing and fermenting equipment) such a goal is unrealistic until an alternative solution is identified such as the use of recycled steel. Data provided will predominantly be qualitative in nature and whilst the recommendations provided are considered financially achievable, they have not been costed. Only major inputs and outputs critical to the goal of sustainability will be discussed in detail within the report. Also, it is important to note that technical and scientific limitations of the writer prevent an accurate assessment of energy efficiencies & possible improvements to the equipment used. This work would need to be undertaken by a qualified industrial engineer. Analysis will be limited to assessment of the micro brewery division of the business only and will incorporate an inputs/outputs analysis, and needs analysis, to determine sustainability stress points and identify critical performance indicators. Lobethal Bierhaus is operated from leased premises which realistically would limit the implementation of certain key recommendations. However, for the purposes of this exercise it is necessary to assume the landlord's willing cooperation in allowing building alterations and perhaps also as a co-investor in permanent sustainability improvements. Many sustainability improvements will require significant initial investment. Although some gains are likely to be immediate, it is assumed that recouping associated capital investment may take up to 10 years. A key recommendation of this report would be to investigate the availability of government sustainability grants or low interest sustainability loans. Ausindustry (2009) state that grants from $50,000 to $5 million are available until 25th June 2009 on a matched funding basis under the Ausindustry Climate Ready Program and Clean Business Initiative. Ausindustry hotline 13 28 46. (http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/InnovationandRandD/ClimateReadyProgram/Pages/Climate ReadyProgram.aspx, 28/4/09) Through the application of sustainable business theories the overall report will address the 4 pillars of sustainability in determining economical, environmental, social and cultural objectives which says Wilson (2003) requires the corporation (business organisation) to '...pursue societal goals, specifically those relating to sustainable development- environmental protection, social justice and equity, and economic development.' 4 By taking '...whole system...' approach and applying the principles of Natural Capitalism theory as outlined by Lovins & Lovins (1999) this report will aim to design a sustainability plan for Lobethal Bierhaus to; Increase the productivity of the natural resources used Adopt a biologically inspired production model Change the business focus to a solutions-based business model Reinvest in their natural capital resources Finally by outlining a vision accompanied by recommendations through the Future Sustainability Outlook this report will explore the realms of possibility for Lobethal Bierhaus. 1.1.2 Brewing In his book 'Fermenting Revolution' O'Brien (2006) presents beer and brewing as sustainability's holy grail. Brewing has played a significant role in forging human civilization and has been a central theme in many cultures dating back some 10,000 years. Using the story of beer and brewing as a metaphor, O'Brien explains that by looking to the past, the rest of the industrialized world might successfully tackle issues of sustainability. While '...global beer giants bloat into ever-larger corporate behemoths...' where '...power concentrates in the hands of a few faceless, distant corporations...' a revolution of sorts is seeing '...a turn toward small scale, local production, with a focus on diversity, craft, community, and tradition...' where '...communities are reining in control.' Industrialized brewing in its current form is unsustainable whereas historically brewing has made a positive contribution to human societies. Today's craft brewing more closely represents traditional brewing practices and has the capacity to be truly sustainable. Pyper (2009) states beer brewing is '...an energy and water intensive process that can produce large amounts of greenhouse gas and solid and liquid waste. Citing a 2003 report into energy use in breweries, Pyper, advises that the '...most energy is used during the boiling of the 'wort', the liquid produced '...by mixing cracked barley grains with hot water to convert starch into fermentable sugars. ' Further '...the subsequent fermentation and maturation also use significant energy to cool the developing beer, as do the final packaging and pasteurisation.' 5 The overall impact of micro-brewery operations is reduced due to their scale of operation and hands on production methods but this does not alleviate smaller operators of their social and sustainability obligations. Micro-breweries can learn much from sustainability improvements currently being adopted by medium to large brewing enterprises. This report aims to demonstrate how some of these improvements can be adapted to serve Lobethal Bierhaus and how in turn Lobethal Bierhaus might better serve society. 6 1.1.3 Life cycle Input/Output Analysis Using the Vigon et al (1993) Life-cycle stages model in Garner & Keoleian (1995) is an effective way of highlighting the various production inputs and outputs. It was necessary to adapt the model slightly for the purposes of this task to include final product. According to Lobethal Bierhaus proprietor Alistair Turnbull, the current brew length of each beer produced is 1200 litres and \"...the volume and type of hops, malt and yeast used in each batch varies considerably depending on beer style.' Quantifiable information on inputs and outputs contained herein is therefore provided as an average per 1200 litre of beer brewed. Current production is approximately 30000 litres annually or 25 brews. Lobethal Bierhaus Inputs Water Outputs Atmospheric Emissions 1.8 litres Malt extract 30kg Malted grains CO2 from production & transportation 285kg Raw Materials Acquisition Wheat Barley Hops: Trub Waste water 5kg Whirlfloc 24 tablets Liquid yeast 500grams Waterborne wastes 30 litres 1000 litres Manufacturing Solid Wastes fermenting Spent grains Processing CO2 Steel Use/Reuse/ Maintenance Labour Glass for bottling Kegs Electricity 18000 kwh pa Recycle/Waste Management Co Products & Products Bottle caps Glass bottles & kegs Labels Beer Other releases Broken glass Fuel System Boundary 7 2. Energy Management '...Reducing the wasteful and destructive flow of resources from depletion to pollution represents a major business opportunity. Through fundamental changes in both production design and technology...' businesses save and stretch the life resources which '...often yield higher profits than small resource savings do...' which '...not only pay for themselves over time but in many cases reduce initial capital investments.' (Lovins, A., & Lovins, L.H., et al, 1999, Road Map for Natural Capitalism, Harvard Business Review, May/June pg 146) According to Lobethal Bierhaus proprietors, total electricity consumption for the Lobethal Bierhaus operation for 12 months ending January 2009 was 72,000kwh and they estimate that some 18,000kwh of that would be consumed by the micro brewery. A general rule of thumb measurement equates 1kwh energy to 1 kilo of carbon emitted. They advise that electricity is used for temperature control which is required throughout the brewing process. It is also used for refrigerated storage of end product, to operate the grain mill, solenoid valves on tanks, product pumps, boilers, product capping & labelling, cooling and circulation of coolant & lighting. Recommendations Preheating water required for brewing is advisable as less energy is required to boil from a higher base temperature. The Good Brew Company, sustainability consultants as cited by Buckley's Beer (2009), maintains that '...to make 1200 litres of beer breweries need to boil approximately 1700litres of water...' and that '...this is the most energy intensive component of the brew process.' By '...installing vacuum tube based solar panels to preheat the water required...' they now get '...the water to a pre brew temperature of 80 degrees Celsius carbon free.' Another key energy user in breweries is refrigeration. Lobethal Bierhaus refrigeration and brewing equipment is relatively new so it is reasonable to assume they are operating efficiently and things like door seals are intact. By adopting some other simple measures other significant savings can be made. Some key principles identified by O'Brien (2006) are to operate fridges at an optimum efficiency temperature (3-4 degrees Celsius) not over packing fridges so as to allow for good 8 circulation, positioning fridges away from direct sunlight, regularly defrost, cover stored items, and ensure not to build fridges in too tightly as it makes compressors work harder, keep refrigerator coils free of dust, consider brewing more in cooler months and the building of an in ground root cellar for storage. The South Australian Government (2009) also recommends that when purchasing refrigerators it is important to ensure they are designed for Australian conditions not the cooler temperatures of the Northern Hemisphere. Ensuring cool rooms are not entered unnecessarily and doors are not left open will also reduce energy consumption. South Australia has an excellent supply of green energy by way of solar and wind energy but is facing critical water shortages. If a choice must be made between installing on site energy supplies or water capture and storage, the latter would be preferable. Lobethal Bierhaus could switch to purchasing green energy supplies immediately, install a roof mounted solar power system, or a roof mounted wind turbine. A comparative analysis of various options is recommended. Through its Solar Feed-In Scheme the South Australian Government is currently offering a premium price to small business and households for excess solar energy fed into the grid. In addition with the future possibility of carbon trading as well, solar seems like both a practical and effective solution. (http://www.climatechange.sa.gov.au/index.php?page=feed-in- scheme, 26/4/09) 3. Waste Management Natural capitalism seeks not merely to reduce waste but to eliminate the very concept of waste. In closed-loop production systems, modelled on nature's designs, every output either is returned harmlessly to the ecosystem as a nutrient, like compost, or becomes an input for the manufacturing of another product. Such systems can often be designed to eliminate the use of toxic materials, which can hamper nature's ability to reprocess materials' (Lovins, A., & Lovins, L.H., et al, 1999, Road Map for Natural Capitalism, Harvard Business Review, May/June pg 146) 9 3.1.1 Atmospheric Emissions Despite precise carbon emission calculations being unavailable at this time for Lobethal Bierhaus it is possible to determine the nature of usage and outline reduction and elimination strategies. The brewery uses and emits CO2 through consumption of electricity generated by the burning of fossil fuels and in transportation. Considerable CO2 is generating through its heating, cooling, pumping, filtration, fermentation and carbonation processes. CO2 is a result of the heat (energy) generated by this activity. By adopting Natural Capital's waste = food concept & biomimetic design principles we need only to look to nature for a solution informs Benyus (1997). 'The purchasing agents for energy are photosynthesizers - green plants, blue-green algae, and certain bacteria. They siphon their radiant energy from a nuclear fusion occurring 93 million miles away (the sun) and transform it...' Nature uses CO2 as a food for plants which recycle it into Oxygen, plant based sugars and carbohydrates which are of course the primary nutrients required for fermentation in brewing. Recommendations Scientists are currently researching methods to reduce and store CO2 emissions based on biomimatic principles. Many of these concepts seek to draw down CO2 from the atmosphere but observing natural systems however tells us that nature tends to process waste where it is created. Sullivan (2009) informs us that '...US-based Global Research Technologies...' have invented an 'artificial tree' to tackle CO2. It resembles '...a large smokestack...' and using a method called bio sequestration which removes CO2 by '...using natural photosynthetic processes...', '...would be able to remove one billion tonnes of atmospheric CO2 annually.' Obviously this is a large scale option but it has future potential for development of smaller solutions and may at some point become an option for Lobethal Bierhaus but sequestration separates gases, chills the CO2 into liquid form and pumps it deep in the earth, a process which will itself require energy. Nature is more efficient. The waste=food model says McDonough (2000) '...eliminates '...the entire concept of waste...' Logically then it is important for Lobethal Beirhaus to close the loop and create a system which captures and metabolises CO2 emissions. According to Benyus (1997) '...the closed-loop dream of industrial ecology won't be complete until all products that are sent out into the world are folded back into the system.' Therefore an effective solution here would be to capture CO2 emission via a ducted ventilation system that draws CO2 into a small 10 greenhouse on the premises. Once installed, Lobethal Bierhaus could either sub lease or use the greenhouse themselves to grow crops such as tomatoes etc. 3.1.2 Waterborne Waste Waste water from the brewery contains a mix of spent grains, yeasts and chemicals used in cleaning process (detergents, caustic based cleaners and acid sanitizers). All waste water (approx 25000 litres annually) is currently required by law to go to an underground waste tank where the ph is neutralized with caustic prior to being carted to wastewater treatment facilities. Given the importance of the catchment to Adelaide's water supply needs, logically strict environmental regulations are in place to limit waste water disposal. So again the aim then must be to eliminate waste by turning this used water into a resource. Recommendations Natural Capitalism, say Lovins & Lovins (1999), holds that '...business must restore, sustain, and expand the planet's eco systems so that they can produce their vital services and biological resources even more abundantly.' A key recommendation here is for Lobethal Bierhaus to use biodegradable eco friendly cleaning products so that water used is not potentially harmful to the environment. Bi carb soda is also useful as an abrasive, non toxic cleaner. Lobethal Bierhaus should also explore the possibility of producing their own high grade alcohol as a cleaning agent. This has traditionally been used as an anti bacterial agent in the medical profession and usually evaporates leaving little or no residue for waste. Work with The Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges Integrated NRM Group and Adelaide Hills Council to restore the dry creek system near to the rear of the brewery and incorporate a series of reed ponds for a localized water purification system. 11 3.1.3 Solid Waste The brewing process leaves solid waste. Spent wheat and barley grains from the mash tun are known to have high nutrient value and each batch also produces 30 litres or so of Trub, the sediment remaining after boiling wort. Currently Lobethal Bierhaus dispose of spent grains to a local dairy farmer as feed. The farmer collects waste from the site periodically. This is a reasonable solution however, there are other more sustainable options for this waste product. Recommendations Convert waste into bio fuel. Williams. K (2009) '...any waste product that has sugars, starch or cellulose can be turned into ethanol. The sugar or starch in wheat, corn or sugarcane is fermented the same way that you make any alcohol, and that's the basis of the current ethanol industry in the USA and Australia. If you want to use complex sugars such as cellulose that make up the hulls, husks, leaves, stems etc, you have to first break these down into simpler sugars by mechanical, enzymatic or biological means, and then the broken down sugars are fermented as per normal.' The planet is facing simultaneous crises. We are in the midst of a global food shortage and a shortage of clean energy resources where biofuels are considered a primary solution. Biofuels has been identified as a clean fuel source but has so far been reliant on grains, a primary human food source. Research by the University of Abertay Dundee (2007) sought to identify sources of biomass for fuel conversion which will not create further grain shortages. Successful production of Bioethanol from Brewer's and Distiller's spent grains has been achieved but at this stage the practice is not common. The report states that bio ethanol's (produced by yeasts) are CO2 neutral, produce 65% less GHG emissions, are biodegradable, have low toxicity, encourage agricultural biodiversity and reduce depended on oil. In future Lobethal Bierhaus could supply this biomass for local fuel production to replace the current practice of disposing for use as animal feed. Another option is to use 'The E-fuel 100 Micro Fueler' which is excellent solution to the disposal of spent grains and left over alcohol from the brewery. Spent grains would need to be broken down into a liquid sugar prior to use but essentially the Micro Fueler is a small portable \"at-home'\" fuel distiller that will turn this waste into ethanol. It could process waste on site reducing the need to transport waste for disposal. Depending on volumes, this fuel 12 could be used to supplement or even at some stage might replace oil based fuel in vehicles used to transport product. This ethanol is a renewable resource and is also a potential additional revenue source through the sale of the fuel and recouping of carbon credits. The manufacturers claim that some CO2 is emitted during the fermenting and combustion process but this is offset by the CO2 uptake by the sugar cane plants used. The previous recommendations for CO2 emissions in this report i.e. greenhouse installation would address this issue. The Micro Fueler sells for around $10,000 US. See http://www.efuel100.com/ttechnology.aspx Also, according to Lobethal Bierhaus, Trub can be used as a plant fertiliser. Therefore this reinforces the case for building an onsite greenhouse where this waste can be used as a food source in food production. Some other options for this solid waste; Creative Papers Tasmania made paper for Boags brewery from the wasted malted barley fibres. Incidentally they also make paper from Roo poo. (http://www.creativepapertas.com.au/products/writing-sets.html, 26/4/09). A local hand made paper company should be approached to use spent grains from Lobethal Bierhaus in this way. This paper could become a signature additional product line at the brewery or turned into compostable beer coasters. Spent grains as Mushroom Compost. According to the group, Zeri - Zero Emissions Research Initiatives (2004) spent grains are full of nutrients and proteins that remain after beer processing. A pitfall of using these grains for animal feed they say is that '...the spent grains are tough for the animals to digest...' which results in '...indigestion and added amounts of methane gas emitted into the atmosphere by the animals.' The spent grains make an '...excellent substitute for flour in bread...'and when mixed with '...other fibres such as rice straw, they are also a valuable ingredient in the substrate for the growing of mushrooms.' The benefits as stated by Zeri are; o Mushrooms are a valuable commodity o That growing mushrooms on grains make the grains more digestible to livestock and increase protein which will enhance growth in livestock. 13 o Livestock waste once processed through a digester with brewery waste water will generate biogas and a nutrient solution both of which can be processed further to create benefit. (http://www.zeri.org/case_studies_beer.htm, 26/4/09) Mushrooms, in conjunction with growing food through the CO2 capturing greenhouse has potential to become a viable side business in organically grown produce. Using spent grains as bread flour is also a viable option. Lobethal Bakery is only a few hundred metres away and could make use of this waste product so too could the nearby wood fired pizza maker for use in dough. 3.1.4 Co Products & Products By virtue of their size micro breweries have less to manage in terms of waste from products and co products than their corporate relatives. However, many of these co products require significant energy inputs during the manufacturing process. Manufacturing of glass bottles, bottle tops, stainless steel brewing equipment and gas cylinders are all energy intense processes. Although this report does not seek to address these issues directly it is important that Lobethal Bierhaus view these inputs as unsustainable and seek to find alternatives. Furthermore that they seek to slow down the rate of consumption to minimal levels by extending and continuing their useful life by perpetually recycling within a larger closed loop system. The types of containers used for the product and disposal of same are key issues e.g Bottles used and disposing of empty bottles and broken glass. Lobethal Bierhaus currently use a range of standard beer bottles, small wooden kegs, and a specialty imported line of traditional German 2 litre bottles (ceramic lidded) bottles. Brewing equipment is of course manufactured using stainless steel, an extractive, non renewable resource which is ultimately not sustainable, however given the longevity of use from this equipment it is not the most pressing of concerns. The manufacturing of gas cylinders has heavy energy requirements. Empty gas cylinders are usually recycled through a cylinder swapping program with gas suppliers. This is currently the most appropriate method of managing cylinder is the preferred option. 14 Beer bottle caps are pesky things as far as recycling. The jury is out as to their suitability for recycling and little information is available about successful reuse of this co product. If cap is an unlined metal cap it can be recycled with other metal. However if they are plastic lined they need to be reused in alternative ways. Recommendations Lobethal Bierhaus already operate a very successful bottle return program for their 2 litre (ceramic lidded) German Beer bottles. A future recommendation when seeking to replace stock of these bottles would be to investigate if they could be made locally or at the least from recycled glass. Increasing the use of wooden kegs is a more sustainable option as timber is a renewable resource and is in plentiful local supply. Many options exist with regard to glass as it is a fully recyclable product made from renewable resources. According to Zerowaste WA '...glass can be recycled over and over again indefinitely...' and '...saves up to 74% of the energy necessary to make glass from sand...' Furthermore recycled glass '...only creates half the greenhouse gas of making new glass-reuse saves even more...' (http://www.zerowastewa.com.au/documents/glass_fs.pdf, 18/5/09) However, it is not necessary for Lobethal Bierhaus to take on the whole responsibility for recycling here. By simply purchasing locally and ensuring appropriate disposal they can rely on the SA Governments recycling program. It is an extremely effective bottle recycling program with a 10 cent per bottle returns policy. Governments can do exceptional things with large scale waste & recycling issues as they are better resourced to do so. For example '...the Sustainability Programs Division of the Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW collaborated with Sydney Water and Benedict Sand and Gravel to conduct laboratory tests and field trials on crushed, recycled, glass fines as pipe bedding material.' The glass fines are a waste product of recycling and not suitable for remelting into other glass products. Pipe bedding materials would normally consist of quarried sand and so using these fines is a fully sustainable option in closed loop terms. (It's Green, 2008, as cited by industrysearch.com.au 18/5/09) Richardson A (2008) states '...a vineyard in the South Island of New Zealand is trialling the use of crushed glass as an under-vine mulch. The aim is to increase berry size and quality by reflecting sunlight back up into the canopy.' Apparently the results have been promising. Considering South Australia is such a strong wine region, this could also prove to be a useful future use of this recycled glass product. 15 The Green Directory (2008) lists a product called Monoglass which is an innovative spray-on insulation product providing both thermal and acoustic benefit that is produced from 49% recycled glass. Glass artists often experiment with recycled glass. Bottles can be melted and flattened for household use. They can be used as also be cut and recycled into drinking glasses, tumbled and used as beads in jewellery or as mosaic tiles. In the US glass has even been recycled into outdoor pavers. So Lobethal Bierhaus could also seek out local artists who may wish to use the glass. A few artists and ideas people are doing interesting things with metal caps. In Australia they've long been recycled as percussion stick instruments for bush bands. A US company, the bottlecaplureguy is producing fishing lures from them. (http://www.bottlecaplure.com 18/5/09) so finding local people interested in manufacturing unusual kitsch items may be useful as a product offering but is not a great long term solution. The wine industry is experimenting with alternative packaging such as lighter weight glass products and 100% recyclable PET bottles. Perhaps future innovation in the packaging area will provide a solution to this unsustainable practice. In the mean time bottle caps should be replaced with ceramic swing tops as they can be broken down into smaller components and recycled easily. Ensuring longevity of capital equipment made from extractive non renewable resources such as stainless steel through good maintenance is essential. Stainless steel is 100% recyclable so once these items near end of lifespan the metals should be sold as scrap and/or recycled. A key principle of biomimicry according to Benyus (1997) is to use materials sparingly and only build or use what is needed. Taken to its most logical conclusion this concept leads to even better solutions. Investigating the recycling of stainless steel through firms like Beer Belly Brewing Equipment manufacturers (http://www.beerbelly.com.au/) and AR Black & Co Wine making equipment and stainless steel engineers both of Adelaide is recommended as it could serve as a trade in on replacement equipment. Leasing all brewing equipment from such firms alters the relationship from a short term sales focus to a long term service relationship encouraging excellence in both design and service quality. This option may prove to be the ultimate sustainable solution and needs to be examined more closely. 16 4. Water Management Lobethal Bierhaus requires a good quality reliable source of hard water for brewing. The proprietors advise that the minerals in hard water act as a catalyst for yeast cell growth in fermentation. The facility currently uses mains waters supplied by SA Water which is put through sediment filtration to remove impurities and carbon filters to remove chlorine. The brewery currently only has one water meter and cannot distinguish between water used for brewing, cleaning and/or that used in the restaurant. They current brew 30,000 litres per annum and state they use 1.8 litres of water per litre of beer produced. This is actually very efficient in brewing terms and the lower usage here can be attributed to manual processing and cleaning. Still at that ratio annually the organisation uses around 54000 litres of water for brewing alone. A significant amount of water SA Water supplies is currently pumped from the rapidly deteriorating Murray River some 50klm away. All water is treated to drinkable standard regardless of intended use (domestic or industrial). Eventually the water arrives at Lobethal Bierhaus. This pumping and treatment process requires energy and is unsustainable. Moreover it seems illogical to pump water into the Mount Lofty region which states the Australian Government NRM (2009) is and area containing biologically rich, fertile and productive solids, has reliable rainfall and is a '...key-water supply catchment for Adelaide...'. Recommendations Consistent water quality is becoming an issue in South Australia due to severe drought conditions. It would be advisable from both a sustainability perspective and as a general risk minimising strategy for Lobethal Bierhaus to secure reliable alternatives. Lobethal is situated in the Mount Lofty water catchment area. The average annual rainfall in Lobethal is 1032mm. With such a good supply of water locally Lobethal Bierhaus could easily become self sufficient in that area. The brewery and storage building combined has a total roof area of 592sqm which could potentially collect 610,944 litres of rain water per year. This would still require the filtration processes currently used and as rain water is soft water the required minerals would need to be added to harden up the water prior to brewing. Currently this water runs into the local storm water drainage system. SA Government captures some storm water and recycles it for use in public spaces but the majority runs into the Torrens River straight into the ocean. A natural system would ensure that only once rain 17 saturated the ground, replenished subsurface water tables and rejuvenated flora would rain water finally enter a river system. By using a storm water system we bypass and undermine natural systems. Spring water is commonly used in craft brewing and the Mount Lofty Ranges is blessed with plentiful supplies of it. Lobethal Bierhaus could access this water (as does Grumpy's Brewhaus in nearby Hahndorf) as a high quality, consistent water supply. Spring water is a renewable resource and is better and more consistent in terms of quality than Murray River water. This means it should require less filtration, thereby minimizing energy consumption. There are at least 5 commercial spring water suppliers within 15klm from Lobethal Bierhaus. Some alterations to mineral content may be required but this should not be a problem given that adjusting mineral levels to achieve different beer styles is part of brewing practice. A thorough comparative analysis between the rain water collection and spring water alternatives would need to be conducted. 5. Materials Management A key principle of biomimicry is to shop locally according to Benyus (1997) who states '...if we were to take a page from nature's book, we would try to adapt our appetites to where we live, getting our resources from as close by as possible...' because building business models based on '...the idea of economy that suits the land and takes advantage of its local attributes would bring us closer to mirroring organisms that have evolved to be local experts. 'Lobethal Bierhaus sources '...malted barley and malted wheat is largely sourced through a distributor in Melbourne called Bintani...' as well as a '...considerable portion of hops...' and whilst they buy many overseas hops varieties most is grown in Tasmania and transported from there. (Turnbull, A, 2009, personal communication) Importing key ingredients is wasting valuable resources and contributing to environmental pollution. This also has some social ramifications which will be discussed in section 7. Recommendations The town of Lobethal began as a German Settlement in the 1800's brought with them beer making and hop growing traditions. Industry was established in the town in '...1850 with FW Kleinschmidt's brewery. It closed after about two decades when Kleinschmidt decided to concentrate on Hop growing - this subsequently became one of Lobethal's prime products.' The industry declined but there seems to be no record as to how or why. Nevertheless this 18 is an indication that growing hops in Lobethal again would be feasible. Furthermore, the Australian hops industry is controlled by one or two major German owned companies which has led to some accusations of anti competitive practices. So from the economic, social and environmental perspectives there is a solid argument for returning to local supply chains. The Adelaide Hills is one of the few Australian regions where hops can be grown commercially. A confidential discussion with the one prominent local farmer revealed a willingness to further diversify (diversification: another key principle of natural capitalism) crops grown and an interest in growing hops if he could be assured of a secure market. Lobethal Bierhaus should meet with local farmers and negotiate for crops needed as inputs to be grown organically and contract to purchase. The wine industry works successfully on a similar contractual arrangement between growers and wineries. This approach would be far more sustainable as it reduces and localizes transport, creates and sustains local industry. Opportunity exists to further develop local varieties but as hops plants don't reach maturity for 8 years importing hops would need to continue in interim. Malting barley and wheat are also grown in nearby South Australian cropping regions so this cooperative approach should extend to these inputs as well. 6. Social Sustainability O'Brien (2006) holds that '...one of the worst things about globalization is how it breaks down communities...' and that the '...primary importance of beer is in its function as a social adhesive, not as financial asset. Furthermore, '...throughout ancient cultures, and even today many non-Western societies, brewing is conducted to mark the important social occasions of life, and to bind the community in common experiences and a shared understanding of the world. In these instances, money is neither the means nor the motive for beer drinking.' Australia has a strong drinking culture. Beer is our unofficial national beverage and many people responsibly enjoy its consumption as an important part of social life. Quality beer is actually known to be nutritional and moderate consumption is reported to have many health benefits. In stout form, beer has long been recommended to breast feeding women as it aids lactation. Katz as cited in O'Brien (2006) holds that beer is an all-round wellness elixir. The fermentation preserves nutrients and breaks it down into a more digestible form and the alcohol retains the nutrients and prevents spoilage. O'Brien (2006) states that the UN Food and Agriculture Organization '...actively promotes fermentation as a critical source of 19 nutrition worldwide...' and that '...fermentation improves the bioavailability of minerals present in food...' It '...also creates new nutrients, like the B vitamins folic acid, riboflavin, niacin, thiamine and biotin.' Among the many other points cited by O'Brien (2006) are that the yeasts in beer are good for the human digestive tract, contain heart health and bone strengthening benefits, lead to improved relaxation as consumption of beer in friendly, social environment is good for reducing stress levels due to the '...stress response dampening effect...' documented by psychologist Micheal A. Sayette (1999). The research showed that for some, consumption was detrimental but showed overwhelmingly for the majority that it was indeed a beneficial aid to stress reduction. However, alcoholism also breaks down communities. It is a serious problem in Australia and cannot be ignored. According to the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, excessive alcohol consumption, including beer, poses an annual cost to the community of $7.6 billion dollars. Approximately 3,000 Australians die each year and some 72,000 people are hospitalised. All manufacturers and suppliers of alcohol have a responsibility to their stakeholders to support safe consumption of their products. Sustainable business does not define responsibility so narrowly as to confine effort to ones direct customers. Lobethal Bierhaus has further community responsibilities. Lobethal Bierhaus understand their social responsibilities with regard to stakeholders. Both the proprietors and their partners have all undertaken responsible liquor service training and at least one responsible person is on site during trading hours. The pricing associated with the higher quality product and the atmosphere of the brewery/restaurant help to reduce unhealthy and unsavoury over consumption of the product. The proprietors have a strong sense of responsibility to the community in which they conduct business. They live in the community, are part of it and care about its future. Both Alistair and Phil frequently and enthusiastically help local people and community groups by making financial and in kind contributions to support worthy causes. All staff employed (mostly in the restaurant) come from the local community which contributes to and builds the local economy. 20 Recommendations A natural closed-loop system because of its interdependent nature is in continual feedback with other parts of the system, responding, changing, innovating and evolving as nature demands. Benyus (1997) holds that this information gathering process is a key foundation for building sustainable communities '...a rich feedback system allows changes in one component of the community to reverberate throughout the whole...' This point largely refers to environmental issues but is equally relevant to social sustainability. Business must seek out and respond to the feedback from its stakeholders in the community and attempt to improve society by providing solutions to social problems rather than contributing further to them. This is an ongoing process described by Lovins, A (2001) as '...changing the relationship between the provider and the customer, so instead of having contradictory or contrary interests, they have completely aligned interests.' As over consumption of alcohol is a key issue in Australia, Lobethal Bierhaus continuing to uphold their strict responsible service practices is critical. Also continuing to use product pricing as a natural limitation to overconsumption is appropriate. Another recommendation is to offer a drive home service for persons who have inadvertently over consumed and install a breathalyser machine on the premises. The solution focus does not need to revolve around only alcohol even for a brewery. Why do people go to a micro brewery? To obtain alcohol one need only go to a drive through bottle shop. The value is in what else the brewery provides. It is in the opportunity for social and cultural enrichment. This does not have to always include alcohol. Diversifying product offering to include a range of full flavoured, non alcoholic beers and other beverages can add social and cultural value AND provide alternatives to those who are not interested in alcohol or cannot drink it for health or other reasons. Lobethal Bierhaus can create value by addressing modern social deficits such as the increased isolation and disconnection between community and family members. By providing opportunities for family friendly positive social and cultural interaction in communities Lobethal Bierhaus can contribute greatly to social well being. Introducing games and quiz nights, live music and entertainment using local artists, supporting and contributing to existing festivities such as Lobethal Lights Christmas celebrations are simple ways to improve community life. Creating an atmospherically pleasing experience though intangible represents significant social value that business can easily contribute. 21 Also, preserving cultural history by acting as a custodian is a worthy social cause. As brewing has a strong history in the region and the proprietors are particularly interested in the local brewing history, producing a book of sorts or continuing to build the existing display of historical materials at the brewery is recommended. In time this material could be developed into an additional retail product offering for Lobethal Bierhaus. There is a serious European Wasp infestation which is acknowledged as a problem by Lobethal Bierhaus proprietors but has proven to be difficult to address. It is recommended that this issue be given the highest priority as the wasps pose a serious health threat to both staff and customers. They are an aggressive and highly allergenic insect. They need to be managed effectively from a risk and liability perspective but more importantly in the interests of general safety and comfort of visitors. The wasps detract greatly from the dining experience and may reduce repeat custom. Until an appropriate solution is found, it is recommended that meals attractive to the wasps be taken off the menu. 22 7. Sustainability Accounting Dunphy et al (2003) maintain that '...if firms persist with the win-win business logic of 'natural capitalism', profiting from increasing the productivity of natural resources, closing material loops and eliminating waster, shifting to biologically inspired production models, providing their customers with efficient solutions, and reinvesting in natural capital, they can gain commanding competitive advantage.' This advantage however, will only be achieved by achieving eco-efficiencies which are reached by '...the delivery of competitively priced good and services that satisfy human needs and bring quality of life while progressively reducing ecological impacts and resource intensity, through the life-cycle, to a level at least equal with the Earth's estimated carrying capacity.' (The World Council for Sustainable Development and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as cited by Dunphy et al 2003) Clearly traditional tools for the measurement of business efficiencies are inadequate for such a task. Business must alter the criteria for success to form an approach which places value on intangibles such as the environment and socio cultural benefits on an equal footing with economic outcomes. Business must '...create long term value...' and '...find accurate, useful and credible indicators of progress in terms of economic prosperity, environmental quality and social justice...' argues Elkington (1999) but as Lamberton (2005) states '...many of the social performance indicators...' such as intragenerational equity '...are difficult to measure in quantitative units...' and so '...the future direction of sustainability accounting [research} must continue to display the essential quality of diversity.' An evolutionary accounting system therefore will incorporate a flexible approach to collate both quantitative and qualitative indicators. It is worth considering here that Sustainability is an ongoing process and so no performance indicators should be considered exhaustive. It is a recommendation of this report that performance indicators be monitored and refined regularly to take advantage of improvements in technology and methodology. It is also recommended that Lobethal Bierhaus adopt a long term business strategy. By tracking all indicators incrementally over a longer defined period of time (5-10 years) alongside annual figures a more positive \"bigger\" picture should emerge and may serve as a reminder of higher sustainability goals in times of strain. 23 Environmental Performance Indicators Amount and quality of water leaving the system after brewing and cleaning processes according to defined EPA standards Quantity of [organic] raw material inputs sourced locally (say 50klm radius) Total amount of water used per litre of beer produced vs amount collected Amount fossil fuel based energy used vs amount green energy generated or purchased Overall levels of CO2 & carbon emission reductions Reduction in European wasp numbers to safe and manageable levels Amount of solid organic waste effectively converted to food source Amount of recycled glass used Social Performance Indicators Quantity of [organic] raw material inputs sourced locally creating local employment and industry Overall growth in customers numbers Progress through working with govt & ngo's to restore waterways reduce water & energy consumption meets greater social responsibilities of inter and intragenerational equity Monitor customer enjoyment and participation in new social activities and overall product/service quality Responsible alcohol service and drive home service if required Production of quality low/no alcoholic brews Sponsoring local community groups and/or projects Assess overall job satisfaction levels of proprietors and/or staff Limit organisational growth to sustainable levels & remain financially viable Economic Performance Indicators Dollar term reduction in cost of energy Financial gains from any electricity returned to grid Rebates or value of carbon credits sold Sustainable long term profit objectives balanced with short term goals Invest in ongoing sustainability improvement measures and assessment Income from leasing greenhouse or from sale of foods produced Remain profitable. Reinvest in business. 24 8. Future Sustainability Outlook and Conclusion According to Lovins, A (2001) the '...next industrial revolution looks like this: We will grow more and mine less of what we take from the planet; we'll also extract it more benignly, and we will extract a great deal less because we will be recapturing resources, closing loops, dematerialising, making things last longer.' Big picture visionary statements are inspiring to change agents who are dedicated to the cause and even case examples can appear to lack relevance at the grass roots level. Practical interpretation and planning such as that which has been provided in this report are clearly necessary if the goal of sustainability is to be realised and its values adopted universally. At the risk of sounding evangelistic however my own vision of sustainability is this that all disciplines, all industries, organisations and all people accept responsibility for developing and adopting a basic but universal set of sustainable living values which seeks to enhance the quality of life for the planets current and future dependants. A key objective must be to efficiently design of man made systems in accordance with natural laws to support living species and enable them to live in accordance with their purest natural inclinations. Dunphy et al (2003) explains that '...if we are to live healthy, fulfilling lives on this planet in the future, we must find new life-affirming values and forge new patterns of living and working together.' Lobethal Bierhaus can most effectively contribute significantly by initially adopting some of the key recommendations of this report which are to; invest in water capturing through the installation of tanks reduce or eliminate the use of toxic chemicals in the production process adopt effective carbon management system by way of venting waste air through small green house as food for plants adopt an instrumental role in rebuilding Lobethal as a prime hops growing region and source organic brewing inputs locally purchase green energy supply, manage refrigeration & preheat water to reduce energy consumption eliminate solid wastes by converting to bio fuel or use as food for cattle or growing mushrooms 25 continue to create social and cultural value through the brewery respond to feedback received through innovations such as social program and development of quality non alcoholic beverages foster cooperative and mutually beneficial relationships with other businesses and government organisations to achieve sustainable outcomes. Once Lobethal Bierhaus is on the path to sustainability there is a realistic opportunity for Lobethal Bierhaus to be a sustainable business leader in the region and to ensure both its' own and the community's long term prosperity. Working toward achieving industrial symbiosis through '...clustering of different firms in which the wastes or by products for one company are used as material, resources or energy...' Dunphy et al (2003), in an industrial ecology park is a real and definite possibility. The US President's Council for Sustainable Development (USPCSD) in Chertow (2007) defines this as '...a community of businesses that cooperate with each other and with the local community to efficiently share resources (information, material, water, energy, infrastructure and natural habitat), leading to economic gains, gains in environmental quality and equitable enhancement of human resources for the business and local community.' The Onkaparinga Business (and tourism) Centre next door is operated in the Old Woollen Mills by the Adelaide Hills Council and has great potential to be developed into such a park '...the focus is on waste reduction and the recycling of outputs...' creates '...closed loop manufacturing systems. Eco-efficiency is gained by all firms in the park by forging strategic alliances and relationships...' The centre currently houses The Adelaide Hills art and craft markets, local food producers, artisans, wineries, motorcycle and heritage museum & national costume museum whose operations with a little effort could be redesigned to create an interdependent cooperative and sustainable business community. This would be a shining example of sustainability at work and a vision realised. 26 References Adelaide Hills Online, Town History of Lobethal, http://www.adhills.com.au/tourism/towns/lobethal/history.html, 27/4/09 Australian Government Department of Health and Aging, National Alcohol Strategy 20062009, http://www.alcohol.gov.au/internet/alcohol/publishing.nsf/Content/nas-06-09 Australian Government Natural Resource Management, 2009, Adelaide and Mount Lofty Ranges resource management region, http://www.nrm.gov.au/nrm/sa, 27/4/09 Ausindustry, http://www.ausindustry.gov.au/InnovationandRandD/ClimateReadyProgram/Pages/Climate ReadyProgram.aspx, 28/4/09 Bevill, K., 2008, Home-brew ethanol kit selling like hot cakes, BBI Bioenergy Australasia, http://www.biofuelsaustralasia.com.au/article.jsp?article_id=1316&q=micro%20fueler, 24/4/09 Benyus, J 1997, Biomimicry, Innovation Inspired by Nature, Harper, New York, pg 256-277 Chertow, M., 2007, 'Uncovering' Industrial Symbiosis, Journal of Industrial Ecology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Yale University, Vol 11 (1) Winter, pg 15 Commercial Refrigeration, SA Government Department for Transport Energy and Infrastructure, http://www.dtei.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/16595/refrigeration.pdf, 27/4/09 COSBOA Council of Small Business of Australia, http://www.cosboa.org/webs/cosboa/cosboaweb.nsf, 26/4/09 Creative Papers, http://www.creativepapertas.com.au/products/writing-sets.html, 26/4/09 Dunphy. D., Griffiths. A, & Benn. S., (2003), Organisation Change for Corporate Sustainability, A guide for leaders and change agents of the future, Routledge, London and New York, pp 1, 53, 146-149 E Fuel Corporation, 2009, EFuel 100 Micro Fueler, http://www.microfueler.com, 24/4/09 27 Elkington, J, 1999, Triple Bottom Line reporting; Looking for balance, Australian CPA, March pg 19 Erdelji, V., 2007, Report: Bioethanol from Brewer's and Distiller's Spent Grains, Yeast Research Group, School of Contemporary Sciences, University of Abertay, Dundee, Scotland, pp1-3 It's Green, Recycled Glass for Pipe Embedment, http://www.industrysearch.com.au/Features/Recycled_Glass_for_Pipe_Embedment-1815 Katz as cited in O'Brien C. M, 2006, Fermenting Revolution: How to Drink Beer and Save the World, New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, Canada, pp 195-212 Lamberton, G., 2005, Sustainability accounting - a brief history and conceptual framework', Accounting Forum, Vol. 29, No. 1, March, pp 7-26 Lovins, A., 2001, Transcript of Natural Capitalism lecture/intervie with Amory Lovins, broadcast on ABC Radio National's Background Briefing, 28/1/01 Lovins, A., & Lovins, L.H., et al, 1999, Road Map for Natural Capitalism, Harvard Business Review, May-June pp145-158, http://www.natcap.org/images/other/HBR-RMINatCap.pdf McDonough, W., 2000, Designing the Next Industrial Revolution, Bioneers Conference Paper, http://www.anticipation.infor/texte/buckminster/wwwbfi.org/Trimtab/summer01/industrialRevo lution.htm, 11/4 O'Brien, C. M., 2006, Fermenting Revolution: How to Drink Beer and Save the World, New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, Canada, pp 100-103, 243-245 Pyper, W., 2009, Golden Nector gone green, Ecos, CSIRO Publishing Collingwood, FebMar, pg 18 Richardson, A, 2008, ABC, http://blogs.abc.net.au/sa/2008/05/crushed-glass-i.html, 18/5/09 Sullivan, R., 2009, Our options for global Co2 Drawdown, Ecos, CSIRO Publishing Collingwood, Dec-Jan pg 15 28 Tackling Climate Change in South Australia, 2009, Solar Feed-In Scheme, http://www.infrastructure.sa.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0008/16595/refrigeration.pdf, pg 2, 26/4/09, The Good Brew Company, 2008 as cited by Buckleys Beers, 2009, A craft Brewery on the path to sustainability, http://www.buckleysbeer.com.au/site/uploads/Main/solarBuckleys.pdf, 24/4/09 The Green Directory, 2008, Thermatec Technologies, http://www.thegreendirectory.com.au/green-business/building/insulation/thermatectechnologies, 18/5/09 Turnbull, A., 2009, Lobethal Bierhaus personal communications Vigon, B, W et al, 1993, as cited in Garner, A. & Keoleian, G., 1995, Industrial Ecology: An Introduction, Pollution Prevention Centre for Higher Education, University of Michigan pg 15 Williams, Dr K, 2009, Biofuels Research Scientist (formerly of SARDI), personal communication, 21/4/09 Wilson, M., 2003, Corporate Sustainability: What is it and where does it come from?. Ivy Business Journal, Ivy Publishing, University of Western Ontario London, Ontario, pg 1 Zero Waste WA, 2009, http://www.zerowastewa.com.au/documents/glass_fs.pdf, 18/5/09 Zeri Zero Emissions Research and Initiatives, 2004, Beer making bread and mushrooms, http://www.zeri.org/case_studies_beer.htm, 26/4/09 29 Sustainability Analysis Lobethal Bierhaus Towards Sustainable Brewing Prepared for: Geoff Lamberton Southern Cross University, Lismore Assignment: 2 Unit: Sustainable Business Management Unit Code: MNG10253 Due: 20/5/09 Prepared by: Alison Atkinson Student Number: 9412 3445 1 Contents Page 1. Introduction 3 1.1.1 Scope of analysis 1.1.2 Brewing 5 1.1.3 Input/Output analysis (identifying-lifecycle management) 7 2. Energy Management 8 Recommendations 3. Waste Management 9 3.1.1 Atmospheric emissions 10 3.1.2 Waterborne waste 11 3.1.3 Solid waste 12 3.1.4 Co-products and products 13 Recommendations 4. Water Management 17 Recommendations 5. Materials Management 18 Recommendations 6. Social Sustainability 19 Recommendations 7. Sustainability Accounting 7.1.1 Performance Indicators 23 24 Environmental Performance Indicators Social Performance Indicators Economic Performance Indicators Recommendations 8. Future Sustainability Outlook & Conclusion 25 References 27 2 Introduction The argument for sustainable business has never been more compelling. Lovins & Lovins (1999) state that '...the earth's ability to sustain life, and therefore economic activity, is threatened by the way we extract, process, transport, and dispose of a vast flow of resources.' To date much of the discussion has focussed on large resource guzzling industry sectors but ABS figures (as cited by COSBOA 2009) show that Australia alone has some '...1.8 million small businesses...' and the sector '...represents 95% of all [Australian] business...' so clearly the collective impact is significant and the sector needs to do it's bit if for no other reason than self preservation. Lobethal Bierhaus is a m