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APES PROJECT: LIFE-CYCLE ANALYSIS DUE DATE: FRIDAY, MARCH 7TH, 2014 To get a better understanding of the environmental impact of processed food, it is becoming increasingly common to perform a life-cycle assessments (LCA). This involves gauging the environmental effect of each step in a product’s life cycle, from obtaining the raw materials for its manufacture and processing, to distribution, to use, and disposal (see figures below). Relevant: In this project, you will choose one food product and carry out a simplified life-cycle analysis. (Full LCAs run to 100s of pages and require access to lots of specialized data, such as the amount of energy spent transporting raw materials to the factory). Each box below represents a step in the life cycle of a typical food product. To understand the environmental impact of a product, research each step of its life cycle as represented by the boxes below. Deliverable: Produce a 11 x 17 life-cycle analysis poster of a product. You may draw it by hand or electronically. Cite sources on back in MLA format. Based on Sound Science: Following are some web sites that explain and illustrate LCA The diagram to the left is a way of representing the stages of a product’s life cycle. For this project, you should report on the different stages of your product’s life cycle. Some information may be hard to obtain; some stages may make relatively little contribution. Try to emphasize the most important contributors to a product’s environmental impact.
