Environmental Management: Readings and Cases

Russo's Environmental Management book is a good primer on many issues concerning the environment today. I use it as the base text (which I expand on) in both my undergrad and master's environmental strategy courses. Overall, I think it's a nice mix of established 'thought pieces', more modern perspectives, and nicely done cases for discussion and analysis. The only downside for me is that this book covers such a wide range of material, that we use comparatively little of it in a semester. However, the book can double as a great post course reference for those wishing to learn more. One note to clarify, this is not a technical book. If that's what you want, you should look elsewhere. But, it provides a great overview of several pertinent areas of the environment and business in one place.

This book represents a fine introduction to key texts of seriuos, forward thinking industry consultants, academics, and writers who see the challenges and opportunities for businesses--including those who want to set positive examples and those who just want to stay ahead of the curve of legislation that will eventually happen if companies don't find a way forward on their own. The case studies will help those struggling to make good decisions, good in terms of both strategy and ethics. It provides examples so that every company doesn't have to re-create the wheel but can learn from others instead. The book is good because it pulls together thinking on the subject of sustainability, shows the continumm (from quite radical to pretty middle of the road), and illustrates with cases how this all may translate into practice. It recognizes the difficulty of making change, but shows why change is necessary. My only wish is in the proportioning of the material. I'd like to see more cases and a little less of some of the historical/ theoretical material since the cases are likely to be the most useful to practitioners and students of business. Not everyone in the corporate world is there yet, but the movement for more sustainable business practice is growing as leaders such as Ray Anderson speak out acknowledging the impacts--positive and negative--that companies like his can have on environment and society, and the concomitant imperative of businesses to take responsiblity for what they do. You only have to read the business press to understand that "sustainability" in all its different guises is here to stay. This book can help you see where the business sustainability movement is at, and where it's likely to go.

Obviously, when a topic such as the environment appears in a book, ideology will often bias views. For many, the book will not go far enough in selling the need for environmentalism. For others, the book will be another piece from green fanatics. Thus, on the balance, the book represents one of the more neutral expositions on business and the environment. As an example of balance, the author includes articles such as "The Tragedy of the Commons" by Hardin. Hardin's work certainly does not support the view that humans are good for the environment. On the other hand, the first work in the book (Hart) argues that businesses may be able to prompt appropriate environmental measures as a means to competitive advantages. Overall, the book provides an introduction to various lines of thought about the environment. If a reader approaches the book from a base of preconceived notions, the reader will come out with little gain. A reader with fewer preconceived notions may find the text an interesting exploration in environmental thoughts.