The Life Cycle Project for Envi Studies 101 – Due April 3, 2013
Part 2 – Supplemental Information
RVCC – Spring - 2013

The over-arching concern is where does a product come from, how is it made and used, and where does it ultimately go in old-age? And how do all these stages and elements of the process impact the environment?

The real world is also complicated by the fact that it is not just a composite or final product that has a life cycle, but generally a number of the components within the product have a cycle that plays out too.

Our goal then is to gain some degree of understanding of how everything we use goes through a chain of causation and usage that has potentially many impacts on resources, human life and planetary ecosystems.

One approach to the research component of this project is given further below for a generic cell phone. You don’t have to follow the approach given for your product as long as what you do is logical, reasonably complete, clearly written and covers the key elements in a Life Cycle Analysis, which are:

 What are 2-3 key raw materials required to make the product? Perhaps Hydrocarbons (oil, coal or natural gas) are needed somewhere in the process of extracting, refining or processing of raw materials. Such carbon resources may be needed to make fuel, electricity, plastics, industrial chemicals, medicines, etc. Perhaps concrete or other industrial materials are required. Ore may be needed and require smelting for metals such as copper, lead, aluminum, zinc or iron, etc? Is cotton, wood, fiber or water needed? Other metaphors: What are DVD’s, computers, coffee makers, synthetic fabrics, iPods, Firestone tires, Cabernet wine, vitamins, sheet rock, cedar decks, Kleenex, dark chocolate or organic cheese made of – what are several of their main ingredients? And how are they obtained?
 What are 2-3 key steps in Manufacturing? What are the hazards, challenges and energy sources? How are they dealt with? If milk, butter, copper, silver, glass, cotton, paper, silicon, preservatives, solvents, Benjamin Moore paint or fire retardants go into or on your product, what briefly are the challenges of using these as part of the process of creating a finished product?
 How are raw materials delivered to a factory to start the manufacturing process? How is the product packaged and delivered to you or to a store near you (by truck, boat, plane, rail, etc)? Are there environmental costs in term of materials, energy and emissions? Ways to reduce?
 How is the product used once you buy it? Does it give off fumes, vapors or is it potentially hazardous in other ways?
 End of use: how can one reuse it, or dispose of it or recycle it in a responsible way? What are the challenges? How does the product break down over time?

 Remember: Energy is consumed and wastes and emissions generated in all stages of the life-cycle. Try as best you can to give 1-2 examples or concerns for your product at each stage of the cycle. Are there any potential human health impacts at each stage? Are there one or two ways to save money through alternative processes? Example: the energy costs of using recycled aluminum are about 5% of the costs of extracting and refining virgin aluminum.

Here’s a brief outline of one generic way to gather relevant materials and information:

1) Pick a Product that interests you.

Example: you are interested in the cradle to grave process of making a cell phone.
(Note: your actual product should be a specific make and model.)

2) Google for relevant generic information: “key processes manufacturing a cell phone” and “manufacturing cell phones environmental hazards” and then something like “environmental hazards making Apple cell phones China” for product specific info (or whatever company makes your cell phone; of course at some point check Apple’s website if you are writing on one of their products for their position on environmental concerns)

a) Several hits among many you might initially explore: http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5318078_mobile-phone-manufacturing-process.html http://www.epa.gov/waste/education/pdfs/life-cell.pdf http://crystal.uta.edu/~kumar/cse6392/termpapers/Savita_paper.pdf http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2092277/Apple-Poor-working-conditions-inside-Chinese-factories-making-iPads.html

Initially find some general yet key information or facts, for example:
• Conceptual phase: Several sketches and cell phone wireframes are created using different designs, features, and interface options, such as keypad only and touch screen.

• Prototypes or mock-ups are constructed from plastic, Styrofoam and other re-usable materials (though note that these materials are made from non-renewable