ILMA Compoundings October 2016 - 28

NOTES FROM STLE

STLE's Mission:
Change the Climate
Edward P. Salek, CAE

I

t's no secret to members of ILMA and STLE that the
industries we represent often don't score particularly well
when it comes to public opinion. Finding examples is not
difficult.
The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), a private
company that interviews 80,000 people each year, finds that
nearly two-thirds of Americans have a negative overall view of
the oil and gas industry. Even the U.S. government was ranked
higher in the eyes of these consumers.
Opinions don't get any better on a global scale. The World
Economic Forum (WEF), an influential global not-for-profit
think tank, characterizes oil and gas as "...an industry defined
by negative environmental headlines." A 2016 WEF report
emphasizes, "Countless surveys reveal that energy companies
are among the least trusted in the business world."
The impact goes beyond having a bad image in the media.
Business advisors point out that it is difficult for an individual
company to fully separate itself from the perception and
reputation of its industry - particularly when that reputation
is a poor one. This negative perception can cause problems,
especially when it comes to financing or regulatory issues.
A prime contributor to this negative image is the perceived
link between fossil fuels and climate change resulting from
CO2 emissions. The conventional wisdom holds that while
fossil fuel use supports economic growth, it damages the
environment. But there's a case to be made for why and
how the tribology and lubricants community is in
position to be a remedy for climate change.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans
have a negative overall view of
the oil and gas industry. Even
the U.S. government was ranked
higher in the eyes of these
consumers.
Sustainable Ecology," states in part:
How does tribology play into all this? It is very clear that we must
develop and implement new societal and industrial practices that
can save energy, protect the environment and increase renewable
energy resources like wind, solar and so on. There is no question that
we owe our modern lifestyle to many modern machines and vehicles
with myriad moving parts. Thanks to the advanced tribological
principles and very effective lubricants, these machines function
incredibly well (think of the cars that we drive every day).
Yet, despite the great advances we have made so far, energy
and material losses due to friction and wear in these mechanical
systems still account for huge economic and environmental burdens.
Approximately a third of the world's primary energy consumption is
attributed to friction; in addition, about 70% of the

Dr. Ali Erdemir (Argonne National
Laboratory), STLE's 2016-17 president and
a recognized thought-leader in the
field, addressed the situation in the
October 2016 issue of STLE's TLT
Magazine. Erdemir's article, which
is headlined "Tribology and a

Vol. 66 No. 10 * 28 * October 2016 Compoundings
ILMA Compoundings October 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ILMA Compoundings October 2016
