Regulations and the need to save energy are compelling supply chains in the worldwide electronics industry to take a turn toward sustainable approaches. From the moment the design process begins, design engineers need to specify "green" parts, design for green manufacturing, design light packaging, and ensure that their products are recyclable or returnable at the end of life. The demand to make the electronics supply chain green is coming from multiple directions. "There's pressure coming from the regulators, corporate, customers, investors, and competitors," says Pam Gordon (photo, left), president of Technology Forecasters Inc (www.techforecasters.com). "Sometimes executives do care about the environment, but there are enough external pressures that the executive does need to be an environmentalist."
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