Life Cycle Assessment

"The situation we are in is like sailing round the world with a map from the 1700s. How should we respond? Throw that map away and have nothing? Definitely not! Use a high-quality map of just a small part of the ocean and ignore the rest? No way. Use the maps we have but treat them with caution? Absolutely. Try to make better maps? Of course—and the work is ongoing. This book is just an early map. Better ones will follow." Mike Berners-Lee in How Bad Are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything

"In the same flyer, plastic-handled paint brushes are promoted as nature-friendly because they are not made of wood. Wood-handled paint brushes are promoted as better for the planet because they are not made of plastic." - David Owen in Green Metropolis

Learning Objectives

• Relate life-cycle assessment to systems thinking.
• Debate product sustainability using life-cycle assessment.
• Identify products that fit cradle to cradle model for sustainability

Agenda

1. Discuss Systems Thinking in Education
2. Discuss Amory Lovins video about buildings
3. Review Carbon Footprints with your neighbor, report back as a table. 
4. Watch Tradeoffs of Green Building Links to an external site.
5. Slides - LCA Overview
6. Debate about Beer
7. Read How Bad are Bananas about Beer
8. Complete Assignment

LCA Overview

slides Links to an external site.

The Beer Debate

Debate Outline:

• Form groups - can vs. bottle beer
• Discuss and draw the LCA for your group
• Consider possible points within the LCA in which your group consumes less energy than the other 
• Both groups will state their opening argument for why your group is better based on your LCA
• A rebuttal from each group is allowed. 
• Closing argument from each group.

Questions you should answer in your groups:

• What is my functional unit? 
• Where will I draw my boundary conditions? What is included, what is not? 
• What will my inventory list include?
• How will I define the impacts of the inventory? 

Handout Links to an external site.

Debate format:

1. Group huddle (20 minutes)
2. Opening statements (3 minutes)
3. Group huddle for opposing group questions (5 min)
4. Group huddle to answer opposing group questions (8 min)
5. Answer to questions, rebuttal and closing statements (5 min)

Debate Rules:

• Pictures are allowed but video is not; pictures should support your argument, not be your argument. 
• Your impact inventory must include GHG emissions but amy also include others.  
• Questions that poke holes in the other groups methods/assessment is encouraged.
• You can only speak for your group once.
• Winning team (decided by me) receives bonus point on 1st exam.

Assignment 

1. Watch Cradle to Cradle Design Links to an external site.
2. Watch New Belgium Brewery Links to an external site.
3. Finish your Resilience Op-Ed Links to an external site.. Bring a paper copy with you to the next class. 

Resources

How Bad Are Bananas?: The Carbon Footprint of Everything Links to an external site.