Teacher Directions: Life cycle Assessment Matching Game Grade Level: Junior High or High School Length of Activity: Two 30 minute play sessions Purpose: Encourage students to think about their daily product choices and how that choice could influence the environment. Introduce students to environmental areas of concern and the units to measure them. Suggestions for Assembling Matching Game Note: Setting up the game initially will be time consuming, but it can be used year after year. A teaching assistant could do this part. 1. Determine how many sets you need. Students may work in groups of 2, 3, or 4. 2. Print off enough cards, a direction sheet, and a reference sheet for each group. Each student will need their own data sheet. 3. Cut out each card and fold bottom part of card up to the dotted line. 4. Tape or glue the non-folded portion of each card to a 4 x 6 inch index card to increase durability (please see pictures on next page of card set up). 5. Use a rubber band to secure each set of cards 6. Place card set, direction sheet, and reference sheet in a sealed bag or container. Day 1: 30 Minutes Form student groups and pass out matching game sets. Read over directions as a class. Pass out data sheets. Pick one matching set to do as an example. Discuss the materials necessary and waste produced during each product’s life cycle. Example Idea: Newspaper and Web Based Newspaper Cards 1. Go through data sheet with students by first having them write in the title of the cards. 2. Enter the functional unit: “Consumption of newspaper during one year by one unique reader.” Review why the functional unit must match. The choices are different, but they can be compared using the functional unit as a reference point. 3. Going into the next category, list raw materials and waste for each. Newspaper: Raw Materials = paper, trees, ink Waste = recycle the newspaper Web Based Newspaper: Raw Materials = electricity, computer parts Waste = none 4. Write down an environmental impact from the cards. Students can record energy used, greenhouse gas, or human toxicity. 5. The better choice is the Web Based Newspaper because it is less impactful for all three categories. Give students time to determine the better choice and discuss as a class. Have students begin to play the game. Day 2: 30 Minutes Very briefly review the directions from the previous day. Have students form new groups or work in same groups and begin play. They may use the same data sheet from the first day of play and add new matches to the handout. During the last 5 minutes, discuss as a class: 6. Did any of the choices surprise you? 7. Are there any terms you still don’t understand? 8. What did you learn? Picture 1: The card is attached to a 4 x 6 inch index card with tape up to the dotted line. The environmental impacts (data) are folded up to the dotted line so students can guess which choice is less impactful. Picture 2: Both cards are a match because the functional units are the same. The Newspaper card shows how each card would be used during the game. The Web Based Newspaper card shows by my finger where the tape would end. CLASS COPY!!! CLASS COPY!!! Life Cycle Assessment Matching Game Student Directions 1. 2. 3. 4. Work in a group of at least two students (maximum 4 students). Obtain a set of cards. Place all cards face down on a hard surface. Pick a student to start (if having difficulty, the student who is the youngest will go first). Take turns going clockwise. 5. The first student will turn over two cards. The goal is to make a match which means that the functional units are the same. 6. If there is no match, it is the next player’s turn. 7. If you made a match, fill in the game data sheet for that pair. 8. When finished writing the information, fold down the game cards. Examine the data to determine if the product you decided on was the better choice. 9. If your choice was correct, you may keep the cards. If your choice was incorrect, return the cards to the game. 10. The next player may pick up your returned pair. 11. Remember to check the reference sheet if you do not understand some of the terms. 12. Continue taking turns, matching cards and entering data until all cards have been matched. 13. The student with the most number of matches is the official life cycle assessment champion. 14. Discuss your data sheets as a group. Make sure to share what the better product choices are and why. Clean Up Directions Make sure all cards are folded up to the dotted line. Rubber band all cards together. Put cards, reference sheet, and directions in the plastic bag. Seal plastic bag and return. Title: Newspaper Functional Unit: “Consumption of newspaper during one year by one unique reader” Title: Web Based Newspaper Functional Unit: “Consumption of newspaper during one year by one unique reader” _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Used: 850 MJ Energy Used:350 MJ Global Warming Potential: 28 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 14 kg CO2 eq Human Toxicity : 6.2 kg DCB eq Human Toxicity: 3.7 kg DCB eq Title: Green Bag 104 trips to the store (lasts 2 years) Functional Unit: “Household carrying about 70 grocery items home from a supermarket each week for 52 weeks” Title: Plastic Grocery Bag HDPE (High-density polyethylene) Single Use (1 trip to the store) Functional Unit: “Household carrying about 70 grocery items home from a supermarket each week for 52 weeks” _______________________ Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! _______________________ Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! Green House Gas: 1.95 kg CO2 Green House Gas: 6.13 kg CO2 Eutrophication: 0.00126 kg PO4- eq Eutrophication: 0.00246 kg PO4- eq Abiotic Depletion: 0.023 kg Sb eq Abiotic Depletion: 0.102 kg Sb eq Title: Toyota Camry (Gasoline) Functional Unit: “Passenger car (1-5 persons plus luggage) 15 years with 300,000 km” Title: Volkswagen (Diesel) Functional Unit: “Passenger car (1-5 persons plus luggage) 15 years with 300,000 km” _______________________ _______________________ Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: 1062 GJ Energy Use: 479 GJ Green House Gas: 21.4 kg CO2 Green House Gas: 7.9 kg CO2 Title: Glass Bottle (250ml) Functional Unit: “Carbonated soft drink containers holding 1,000L” Title: Plastic Bottle (2L) Functional Unit: “Carbonated soft drink containers holding 1,000L” _______________________ _______________________ Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: 10494.19 MJ Energy Use: 13060.76 MJ Water Consumption: 42463.33 g Water Consumption: 45760.43 g Solid Waste: 11965.91 cm3 Solid Waste: 31006.36 cm3 Title: Cold Climate House Design (Steel & Wood Frame) Minneapolis, Minnesota Functional Unit: “Average U.S. new house residential construction (2,225 ft2)” Title: Hot & Humid House Design (Concrete & Wood Frame) Atlanta, Georgia Functional Unit: “Average U.S. new house residential construction (2,225 ft2)” ____________ ___________ _______________________ Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! Environmental Impact All values are per the functional unit! Global Warming Potential: 83,873 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 49,371 kg CO2 eq Energy Use: 1,415 GJ Energy Use: 859 GJ Solid Waste: 27,407 kg Solid Waste: 18,711 kg Title: Monterey Bay Aquarium Tank Fiber-reinforced Plastics Design Functional Unit: “20 years of holding seawater and marine life” Title: Monterey Bay Aquarium Tank Steel-reinforced Concrete Design Functional Unit: “20 years of holding seawater and marine life” _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 11.75 kg PO4- eq _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 28.02 kg PO4- eq Global Warming Potential: 16,552.51 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 36,497.22 kg CO2 eq Summer Smog : 7.34 kg C2H4 eq Winter Smog : 841.76 kg SPM eq Summer Smog : 18.61 kg C2H4 eq Winter Smog : 3,366.19 kg SPM eq Title: Carbon Fiber Bike Frame Functional Unit: “To cycle a bike over a 30 year period” Title: Steel Bike Frame Functional Unit: “To cycle a bike over a 30 year period” _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 0.09 kg PO4- eq Eutrophication: 0.01 kg PO4- eq Global Warming Potential: 114 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 51 kg CO2 eq Energy Use : ~ 3,300 MJ Energy Use: ~ 400 MJ Solid Waste: ~ 5.5 kg Solid Waste : ~ 17.5 kg Title: Beef Steak Functional Unit: “2 kg of meat during a meal” Title: Fresh Chicken Functional Unit: “2 kg of meat during a meal” _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 7,250 g NO3 eq Eutrophication: 413 g NO3 eq Global Warming Potential: 79,300 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 6,310 kg CO2 eq Acidification : 798 g SO 2 Acidification: 95.7 g SO2 Land Use: 105 m2 Land Use: 10 m2 Title: Baking Rolls at Home (Conventional Oven) Functional Unit: “A family that eats rolls every Sunday for a year ” Title: Buying Rolls at a Local Bakery Transportation Passenger Car (5km) Functional Unit: “A family that eats rolls every Sunday for a year ” _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 31.2 g NO3 eq Eutrophication: 58.6 g NO3 eq Global Warming Potential: 818 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 3,940 kg CO2 eq Acidification : 2.98 g SO2 Acidification: 22.8 g SO2 Title: Plastic Cups (Polystyrene) Functional Unit: “Hosting a party with 124 guests who have 3 drinks (16 fluid ounces each)” Title: Aluminum Cans Functional Unit: “Hosting a party with 124 guests who have 3 drinks (16 fluid ounces each)” _______________________ _______________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: ~ 800 MJ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: ~ 900 MJ Global Warming Potential: ~ 8.9 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: ~ 50 kg CO2 eq Solid Waste : ~ 0.14 kg Solid Waste : ~ 8.8 kg Title: Reusable Plastic Basket (High-Density Polyethylene) Functional Unit: “One meal served” Title: Single Use Plastic Plate (Polystyrene) Functional Unit: “One meal served” ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: 2,495 MJ ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: 8,932 MJ Global Warming Potential: 112 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 347 kg CO2 eq Solid Waste : 2.85 kg Solid Waste : 29.6 kg Summer Smog : 0.162 kg C2H4 eq Winter Smog : 0.626 kg SPM eq Summer Smog : 1.24 kg C2H4 eq Winter Smog : 4.05 kg SPM eq Title: Single-Use Plastic Cup (200ml) Functional Unit: “Serving 1,000 L of beverages with one use of the cup” Title: Reusable Plastic Cup (300ml) Functional Unit: “Serving 1,000 L of beverages with one use of the cup” ___________________ ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: 21.03 kWh Energy Use: 97.2 kWh Greenhouse Gas: 0.63 kg CO2 Greenhouse Gas: 5.95 kg CO2 Polypropylene (Plastic) Used : 16.50 kg Polypropylene (Plastic) Used : 166.67 kg What could be done to make the reusable cup a better choice?? What could be done to make the reusable cup a better choice?? Title: Plastic Recycling with Oil Production Functional Unit: “Recycling 1 kg of Plastics” Title: Plastic Recycling by Incineration with Heat Recovery Functional Unit: “Recycling 1 kg of Plastics” ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 3.75 x 10-4 kg PO4 eq Eutrophication: 1.45 x 10-4 kg PO4 eq Greenhouse Gas: 0.731 kg CO2 Greenhouse Gas: 2.92 kg CO2 Acidification : 2.46 x 10-3 kg SO4 Acidification : 1.16 x 10-3 kg SO4 Title: Aluminum & Wooden Window Functional Unit: “75 Years of Service from a Standard Window (600mm by 1200mm)” Title: Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Plastic Window Functional Unit: “75 Years of Service from a Standard Window (600mm by 1200mm)” ___________________ ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 428 kg PO4 eq Eutrophication: 551 kg PO4 eq Global Warming Potential: 498 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 529 kg CO2 eq Acidification : 4.03 kg SO2 Acidification : 4.88 kg SO2 Title: Concrete and Brick Wall Construction Functional Unit: “Wall Assembly Comparison” Title: Steel Stud and Stucco Wall Construction Functional Unit: “Wall Assembly Comparison” ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: 237.93 MJ Energy Use: 90.73 MJ Greenhouse Gas: 9.79 kg CO2 Greenhouse Gas: 5.02 kg CO2 Solid Waste : 2.81 kg Solid Waste : 1.04 kg Title: CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) Desktop Computer Screen (17”) Functional Unit: “One Desktop Computer Display Over Its Life” Title: LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) Desktop Computer Screen (15”) Functional Unit: “One Desktop Computer Display Over Its Life” ___________________ ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Energy Use: 20,800 MJ Energy Use: 2,840 MJ Global Warming Potential: 695 kg CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 593 kg CO2 eq Acidification : 5.25 kg SO2 Acidification : 2.96 kg SO2 Title: Electric Hand Dryer Functional Unit: “Lifetime Service of 5 Years for Drying Hands” Title: Paper Towels Functional Unit: “Lifetime Service of 5 Years for Drying Hands” ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Eutrophication: 1.2 kg PO4 eq Eutrophication: 1.7 kg PO4 eq Summer Smog : 0.4 kg C2H4 eq Summer Smog : 3.0 kg C2H4 eq Acidification : 10.2 kg SO2 Acidification : 12.4 kg SO2 Title: Organic Farming Wheat Functional Unit: “1 kg of Crop Grown and Harvested” Title: Organic Farming Oats Functional Unit: “1 kg of Crop Grown and Harvested” ___________________ ___________________ Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Environmental Impact: All values are per the functional unit! Land Use: 2.2 m2 per year Land Use: 3.3 m2 per year Global Warming Potential: 280 g CO2 eq Global Warming Potential: 390 g CO2 eq Summer Smog : 0.22 g C2H4 eq Summer Smog : 0.25 g C2H4 eq Life Cycle Assessment Matching Game Reference Sheet Energy Terms: The joule (J) is the SI unit for energy 1 J can be described as the energy required to lift a small apple 20 cm straight up. MJ (megajoule) = 106 J GJ (gigajoule) = 109 J More Metric Conversions 1 mile = 1.6 km (kilometers) 1 km = 1,000 m (meters) 1m = 1,000 mm (millimeters) 1 L (liter) = 1,000 ml (milliliters) 0.45 kg (kilogram) = 1 pound Equivalency (eq) a way to compare how damaging emissions are to the air scientists will pick one pollutant, like CO2, when looking at greenhouse gases and use it to compare the toxicity of other substances the pollutant could be chosen because it is the most abundant or because scientists know the most about it the pollutant is a reference point Human Toxicity Potential calculated value that shows the potential harm to humans from a certain chemical released into the environment DCB eq = Dichlorobenzene (organic compound C6H4Cl2), can be used as a disinfectant, deodorant, and pesticide Green House Gas (GHG) gases in the atmosphere that absorb and emit radiation and trap heat from the sun some common gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and ozone Global Warming Potential (GWP) adding up the affects of ALL the green house gases in the atmosphere and reporting it as a single value CO2 is used as an equivalency (eq) and considered to be 1 CH4 (methane) has a value of 25 N2O (nitrous oxide) has a value of 298 by multiplying each individual gas by its value and adding them together, scientists get the GWP Abiotic Depletion consumption of non-living resources (coal, oil, gas) Sb is the element Antimony which is a flaky, crystalline metal that is toxic Eutrophication an increase in chemical nutrients from compounds containing nitrogen or phosphorus may happen on land or in water can be due to natural causes or human activities can lead to overgrowth of plants like algae which reduces the oxygen content at the bottom of the lake and may kill off the organisms underneath oxygen content at the top of the lake will actually increase because of photosynthesis PO4- (Phosphate) NO3 (Nitrate ion) Land Use m2 (meters squared) = unit used to measure area of a piece of land Acidification often caused by pollution like burning fossil fuels and acid rain the lowering of the pH of water or soil making it acidic (pH of 7 is neutral) SO2 (Sulfur Dioxide) SO4 (Sulfate Ion) Summer Smog (Photochemical Smog) smog as a word is a combination of smoke and fog common in major cities because of pollutants, mainly ozone, in the atmosphere usually occurs between April and October caused by the accumulation of ozone (O3) from the sun’s heat in the troposphere causes a health hazard to people kg C2H4 eq (Ethylene) - - most produced organic compound in the world, when combined with other elements, it is used to make plastic products, contains a carbon double bond Winter Smog (Acid Smog) formed near the ground in cold temperatures the pollutants do not spread out because of the warmer temperatures in the upper atmosphere can cause breathing problems and eye irritations kg SPM eq (Suspended Particulate Matter) Bibliography Cards: Newspaper and Magazine Title: Screening Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Printed, Web Based and Tablet E-paper Newspaper Authors: Asa Moberg, Martin Johansson, Goran Finnveden and Alex Jonsson Stockholm, 2009 http://www.csc.kth.se/sustain/publications/reportfiles/sus_2007_1_moberg_et_al_report_ updated.pdf Cards: Green Bag and Plastic Grocery Bag Title: LCA of Degradable Plastic Bags Authors: Karli James and Tim Grant Center for Design at RMIT University http://envent.rmit.edu.au/content/download/232/1787/files/ Cards: Toyota Camry (Gasoline) and Volkswagen (Diesel) Title: Total Life-Cycle Assessment of PEM Fuel Cell Car Author: Bent Sorensen Roskilde University, Energy & Environment Group Denmark http://ptech.pcd.go.th/p2/userfiles/consult/5/LCA%209.pdf Cards: Glass Bottle and Plastic Bottle Title: LCA as a Tool for Environmental Management: A Life Cycle Inventory Case Study from the Greek Market Author: D. A. Georgakellos University of Piraeus http://www.gnest.org/Journal/Vol4_no2_3/GEORGAKELLOS.pdf Cards: Cold Climate and Hot / Humid House Design Title: CORRIM: Life-Cycle Environmental Performance of Renewable Building Materials Authors: Bruce Lippke, Jim Wilson, John Perez-Garcia, Jim Bowyer, and Jamie Meil June 2004 http://maineghg.raabassociates.org/Articles/CORRIM%20June%202004.pdf Cards: Monterey Bay Aquarium Tank Fiber-reinforced Plastics Design and Steelreinforced Concrete Design Title: LCA Comparison of Two Aquarium Tank Systems: Fiber-Reinforced Plastic and Concrete Authors: Evrydiki Fekka, Forest Flager, Nick Frieden, Tom Mercer, and Sarah RussellSmith 12/5/08 CEE 266: Life Cycle Analysis of Complex Systems Stanford University Dr. Michael Lepech Cards: Carbon Fiber and Steel Bike Frame Title: Life Cycle Analysis Steel vs. Carbon Fiber Bike Frame Authors: Subhan Ali, Charlotte Bonneville, Mark Jennings, Lauren Lauck, and Robert Plummer 12/5/08 CEE 266: Life Cycle Analysis of Complex Systems Stanford University Dr. Michael Lepech Cards: Beef Steak and Fresh Chicken / Baking Rolls at Home and Buying Rolls at a Local Bakery Software: SimaPro Multi-User 7.1 Classroom Use Product Ecology Consultants (Pre) www.pre.nl June 2008 Cards: Plastic Cups and Aluminum Cans Title: Life Cycle Analysis Symposium Paper: Sustainable Party Authors: Seth Fink, John Joseph, Daniel Payne, and Katherine Rostkowski 12/5/08 CEE 266: Life Cycle Analysis of Complex Systems Stanford University Dr. Michael Lepech Cards: Reusable Plastic Basket and Single Use Plastic Plate Title: Striving for Sustainability at Stanford’s Axe and Palm Restaurant: A Life Cycle Analysis Authors: Teddy Kisch, Deirdre McShane, Nicole Nitsche, and Meg Waltner 12/5/08 CEE 266: Life Cycle Analysis of Complex Systems Stanford University Dr. Michael Lepech Cards: Single-Use Plastic Cup (200ml) and Reusable Plastic Cup (300ml) Title: Environmental Evaluation of Single-Use and Reusable Cups Authors: Nuria Garrido and M. Dolors Alvarez del Castillo Technical University of Catalonia June 2007 http://www.springerlink.com/content/x4658g3436577005/fulltext.pdf "Dichlorobenzene."Encyclopedia Britannica. 2009. Encyclopdia Britannica Online. Jul. 2009 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/162062/dichlorobenzene>. Cards: Plastic Recycling with Oil Production and Plastic Recycling by Incineration with Heat Recovery Title: A Study on the Eco-efficiencies for Recycling Methods of Plastics Wastes Authors: Tak Hur, Song-Tack Lim, Hye-Jin Lee Dept. of Material Chemistry & Engineering, Konkuk University, Seoul, Korea www.lcacenter.org/InLCA-LCM03/Hur-presentation.ppt Cards: Aluminum & Wood Window and PVC Window Title: Life Cycle Analysis of Windows for North American Residential Market FPInnovations Forintex, Canada http://valuetowood.ca/imports/pdf/en/r-d_summaries/2009/RDS%202009-08-ELCA%20of%20windows.pdf Cards: Concrete and Brick Wall Construction and Steel Stud and Stucco Wall Construction Title: Life Cycle Assessment Tools Authors: John Carmody and Wayne Trusty InformeDesign http://www.informedesign.umn.edu/_news/mar_v05r-p.pdf Cards: CRT and LCD Desktop Computer Screen Title: Desktop Computer Displays A Life-Cycle Assessment Authors: Maria Leet Socolof, Jonathan G. Overly, Lori E. Kincaid, and Jack R. Geibig University of Tennessee Center for Clean Products and Clean Technologies December 2001 http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/comp-dic/lca/toc1.pdf Cards: Electric Hand Dryer and Paper Towels Title: Streamlined Life Cycle Assessment Study Prepared by Environmental Resources Management August 2001 http://www.greenbiz.com/files/document/O16F20922.pdf Cards: Organic Farming Wheat and Oats LCA Food Database http://www.lcafood.dk/ March 2007