Back in 1974, I was part of group of students conducting a teach-in on the "greenhouse effect" that presaged concerns about global warming and the "green" movement. What none us anticipated then is that global warming would be turned into a media play that is often more about scoring PR points than doing something real to alter what many believe is an inexorable march toward disaster.
What does this have to do with technology and manufacturing? Plenty. You need to be aware that issues such as green, corporate social responsibility, and sustainability are all heading your way as the latest reason why you should buy a particular vendor's products or services. As a professional cynic, I urge you not to be fooled by the disingenuousness of some of those pitches.
But disingenuousness shouldn't be an excuse for inaction because if you play the green card right, you can actually save your company money, increase your productivity, and otherwise do better by your investors. And you get to give yourself a big, green pat on the back.
The trick is to separate the meaningless, symbolic actions from the ones that can have a positive impact. And that means looking carefully at opportunities to better manage your business and its assets, and in the process spin green into gold.