A framework for the integration of green and lean six sigma for superior sustainability performance

Evidence suggests that Lean, Six Sigma and Green approaches make a positive contribution to the economic, social and environmental (i.e. sustainability) performance of organizations. However, evidence also suggests that organizations have found their integration and implementation challenging. The purpose of this research is therefore to present a framework that methodically guides companies through a five stages and sixteen steps process to effectively integrate and implement the Green, Lean and Six Sigma approaches to improve their sustainability performance. To achieve this, a critical review of the existing literature in the subject area was conducted to build a research gap, and subsequently develop the methodological framework proposed. The paper presents the results from the application of the proposed framework in four organizations with different sizes and operating in a diverse range of industries. The results showed that the integration of Lean Six Sigma and Green helped the organizations to averagely reduce their resources consumption from 20% to 40% and minimize the cost of energy and mass streams by 7-12%. The application of the framework should be gradual, the companies should assess their weaknesses and strengths, set priorities, and identify goals for successful implementation. This paper is one of the very first researches that presents a framework to integrate Green and Lean Six Sigma at a factory level, and hence offers the potential to be expanded to multiple factories or even supply chains

Disturbance size and frequency mediate the coexistence of benthic spatial competitors.

Disturbance plays a key role in structuring community dynamics and is central to conservation and natural resource management. However, ecologists continue to debate the importance of disturbance for species coexistence and biodiversity. Such disagreements may arise in part because few studies have examined variation across multiple dimensions of disturbance (e.g., size, frequency) and how the effects of disturbance may depend on species attributes (e.g., competitiveness, dispersal ability). In light of this gap in understanding and accelerating changes to disturbance regimes worldwide, we used spatial population models to explore how disturbance size and frequency interact with species attributes to affect coexistence between seagrass (Zostera marina) and colonial burrowing shrimp (Neotrypaea californiensis) that compete for benthic space in estuaries throughout the west coast of North America. By simulating population dynamics under a range of ecologically relevant disturbance regimes, we discovered that intermediate disturbance (approximately 9-23% of landscape area per year) to short-dispersing, competitively dominant seagrass can foster long-term stable coexistence with broad-dispersing, competitively inferior burrowing shrimp via the spatial storage effect. When holding the total extent of disturbance constant, the individual size and annual frequency of disturbance altered landscape spatial patterns and mediated the dominance and evenness of competitors. Many small disturbances favored short-dispersing seagrass by hastening recolonization, whereas fewer large disturbances benefited rapidly colonizing burrowing shrimp by creating temporary refugia from competition. As a result, large, infrequent disturbances generally improved the strength and stability of coexistence relative to small, frequent disturbances. Regardless of disturbance size or frequency, the dispersal ability of the superior competitor (seagrass), the competitive ability of the inferior competitor (burrowing shrimp), and the reproduction and survival of both species strongly influenced population abundances and coexistence. Our results show that disturbance size and frequency can promote or constrain coexistence by altering the duration of time over which inferior competitors can escape competitive exclusion, particularly when colonization depends on the spatial pattern of disturbance due to dispersal traits. For coastal managers and conservation practitioners, our findings indicate that reducing particularly large disturbances may help conserve globally imperiled seagrass meadows and control burrowing shrimp colonies that can threaten the viability of oyster aquaculture

Determination of upstream boundary points on northeastern Washington streams and rivers under the requirements of the Shoreline Management Act of 1971 /

Chiefly tables.Shipping list no.: 99-0010-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 7).Mode of access: Internet

Distribution and sources of nitrate, and presence of fluoride and pesticides, in parts of the Pasco Basin, Washington, 1986-88 /

Text, sixteen maps and 10 cross sections on 3 leaves issued in envelope.Shipping list no.: 96-0297-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 83-86).Mode of access: Internet

Concentrations of dissolved oxygen in the lower Puyallup and White Rivers, Washington, August and September 2000 and 2001 /

Shipping list no.: 2002-0255-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 21).Mode of access: Internet

Magnitude and frequency of floods in Washington /

Map on folded leaf in pocket.Chiefly tables.Shipping list.: no. 98-0204-P.Includes bibliographical references (p. 8-9).Mode of access: Internet

Hydrologic trends associated with urban development for selected streams in the Puget Sound Basin, Western Washington /

Includes bibliographical references (p. 38-40).Mode of access: Internet

Water resources of Clallam County, Washington : phase I report /

Five folded maps in pocket.Chiefly tables.Shipping list no.: 86-733-P.Bibliography: p. 21-23.Mode of access: Internet