Life Cycle Assessment Assignment:
Life-cycle assessment (LCA, also known as life-cycle analysis, ecobalance, and cradle-tograve analysis) is a technique to assess environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a
product's life from cradle to grave (i.e., from raw material extraction through materials processing,
manufacture, distribution, use, repair and maintenance, and disposal or recycling). LCAs can help
avoid a narrow outlook on environmental concerns by:
●
Compiling an inventory of relevant energy and material inputs and environmental
releases;
●
Evaluating the potential impacts associated with identified inputs and releases;
●
Interpreting the results to help make a more informed decision.
TASK:
LCAs are normally very in-depth analyses. In this assignment you are to create a BASIC Life
Cycle assessment of your choice. Try and choose an item that does not have too many
components for example instead of choosing a car, choose car tires. You could also choose
your favorite processed food item (cereal, granola bar) or something that you use on a daily
basis. This would be best presented graphically please see the example above for a pair of jeans
and follow the link below to see a life cycle assessment for meat:
http://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/interactive-graphic/
Your assignment must include the following stages:
Ideas:
Roses, plastic water bottle, car tires, cooking utensils, any type of processed food, pop, running
shoes, a piece of Ikea furniture, text book, sunglasses, duvet, fur or leather coat, persian rug,
drywall, cement, metal key, jewelry (be specific), salmon (farmed or wild), chicken, eggs the list
is endless…
Format:
I suggest you choose from one of the following formats: Graphic organizer, powerpoint, prezi,
infographic, video because a picture is worth a thousand words.
Remember to include the environmental impact at EACH stage your item goes through.
(growing wheat for cereal - (fertilizer and pesticide runnoff), Mining gold for jewelry (arsenic
toxic waste)
Life Cycle Assessment Assignment: Rubric
level 1
level 2
level 3
level 4
K/U
correctly identifies the processes at each stage of the
life cycle, environmental impacts are accounted for at
each stage
Reflects essential information; is logically arranged;
concepts succinctly presented;
/20
Done with
limited
effectiveness
Done with
some
effectiveness
Done with
considerable
effectiveness
Done with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Application
ability to identify and consider the environmental
impacts at each stage
/20
Done with
limited
effectiveness
Done with
some
effectiveness
Done with
considerable
effectiveness
Done with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Communication
Main concept easily identified; subconcepts branch
appropriately from main idea
Graphics used appropriately; greatly enhance the topic
and aid in comprehension; are clear, crisp and well
situated on the page.
/10
Done with
limited
effectiveness
Done with
some
effectiveness
Done with
considerable
effectiveness
Done with a
high degree of
effectiveness
Total
/50