Does lean mean green?

This Special Volume of the Journal of Cleaner Production is dedicated to examining the interrelationships among lean, green, and sustainability. With the overarching goal of accelerating progress towards sustainability, the articles contained in this volume focus on various aspects of the connections between the application of lean methods and tools, and the adoption of green initiatives. In that context, are there synergistic benefits of simultaneously adopting both, or does adoption of one lead to rapid adoption of the other? Some authors proposed new frameworks and methodologies that will facilitate further studies and assessments in the swiftly developing field of lean and green integration, while others focused upon conducting literature reviews and drawing interpretations. Additionally, several authors dealt with the application of lean and green tools and methodologies. Covering a diverse array of topics, ranging from airline mergers, eco-design, nuclear waste management, and aged care, to the demand for e-bikes, the articles included in this Special Volume offer stimulating and thought-provoking material for practitioners, managers and researchers in actual and potential applications of Lean and Green to help society make the transition to more sustainable societal patterns. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.