Standards & regulations

I understand that a Sustainable Minds LCA is intended to help designers make decisions, not make environmental claims. How do I clarify that point for clients and managers?

By Louise St. Pierre on October 31, 2009

With any developing science, it is extremely important to take care during the early years to build a foundation of credibility. A single-score LCA is just like any other tool in that it can be used well or poorly. Here are a few best-practice suggestions for how to use, discuss and present a single-figure (or scoping) LCA.

In presentations, discussions, and slides, always emphasize terminology that clarifies that this is a single figure LCA, not a multi-score LCA. For instance, the term “scoping LCA,” accurately describes what this LCA is intended to do, and implies some limitations.
You can use graphs judiciously. While bar graphs and charts are the best possible way to make an impact with your information, you should try to avoid any potential exaggeration. If your design only improves the environmental bottom line by a small amount, so be it. You can resist the temptation to use your presentation skills to make it look more dramatic.

Certifications & labeling, Designers , Life cycle assessment, Manufacturing , Marketing, Materials & processes, Packaging, Products, Standards & regulations , Strategies, Supply chain, Sustainable Europe , Teamwork

I find the calculation process behind LCA to be confusing. Can someone explain it in simple calculation steps for a commonly-understood material?

By Philip White on August 31, 2009

The life cycle assessment (LCA) process is a multi-step calculation that is challenging even for seasoned LCA professionals to recite with precision. Do not feel alone; it is a complex process. Let’s break it down into simpler bites by examining the components of the LCA calculations.

The LCA process follows four steps:
• Process inventory data collection
• Impact characterization
• Normalization
• Weighting

We consider each step, first individually; then combined, in a continuous calculation. Please keep in mind that each of these steps is included in every Okala Impact Factor. Designers and product teams need not take the time to understand them in depth. They are included here to show the rigor behind the single-score assessment process.

Certifications & labeling, Designers , Life cycle assessment, Materials & processes, Products, Software & systems , Standards & regulations , Strategies, Sustainable Europe

As an independent product design consultant I've been getting more requests from clients for sustainable design solutions. I can see how Okala and SM can help me navigate these waters, but how do I integrate this approach into my business practice?

By Steve Belletire on July 31, 2009

I’m glad to hear you’re getting such requests. More companies are now seeing the value of ecodesign strategies. Regarding your question being engaged with this site is a good indication you are serious about providing ecodesign options to your clients. And the Okala methodology and other resources available via Sustainable Minds can provide a solid foundation for delivering quality services.

However, what isn’t included is the practical knowledge to transfer this information into part of a consulting service mix. This response offers you and other consultants a simple framework for how to best integrate ecodesign services.

This information is available in detailed form in a new Greenleaf publication, Consulting for Business Sustainability. Chapter 12, A Guide to Sustainable Design Consulting, directly addresses your question and it is my contribution to the book. I’ll provide an outline of the key practice points within the chapter, but I recommend you obtain the publication. http://www.greenleaf-publishing.com/consult

1: Do your homework First, a company must have a genuine appetite for developing more environmentally responsible products and/or processes. Be certain your client views this approach as strategic to their business future and not just a short-term marketing detail. Start by acquiring information regarding corporate mission statements on the environment, current supply chain practices, any ‘low hanging fruit’ processes underway – anything that helps you get a fix on how the company perceives and communicates its environmental role.

Certifications & labeling, Designers , Electronics, Life cycle assessment, Manufacturing , Marketing, Materials & processes, Packaging, Product service systems, Products, Software & systems , Standards & regulations , Strategies, Supply chain, Sustainability paradox, Sustainable Europe , Teamwork

PVC is a plastic everyone is trying to replace now due to toxicity of chlorine in the product. We were surprised to see the Okala mPts values were so low. Just wondering if you have any feedback on this?

By Philip White on May 31, 2009

First, let’s take a look at the values that Okala assigns to Polyvinyl chloride polymer (PVC), then I’ll comment on those results.

Material	Unit	Okala mPts.	CO₂ eq. lbs.
Polyvinl chloride (PVC)	lb	50.402	1.962
Ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)	lb	31.297	2.128
Polycarbonate (PC)	lb	106.55	7.617

PVC is potentially problematic on a number of levels, as is discussed in the Okala design guide.

Designers , Life cycle assessment, Manufacturing , Materials & processes, Packaging, Products, Software & systems , Standards & regulations , Strategies, Supply chain

I am trying to do a life cycle assessment (using Okala) of a thermoformed product. Since thermoformed parts are extruded into sheet before they are thermoformed, should I include Extrusion in my analysis, or is that factored in to the Thermoforming score? Similar questions arise with the injection-molded parison used in blow-molding, etc.

By Philip White on May 31, 2009

The Okala impact factor for thermoformed plastics includes the extrusion of the polymers into rigid (or semi-rigid) sheets and the subsequent thermoforming of the polymer sheet into the finished plastic part. Likewise, the Okala impact factor for blow molding of plastics includes the creation of the parision (usually through injection molding) and the subsequent blow molding of the parison into the finished plastic part. The preliminary steps required in these polymer forming processes is included in the overall Okala impact factor.

Designers , Life cycle assessment, Manufacturing , Materials & processes, Packaging, Products, Software & systems , Standards & regulations , Strategies, Supply chain

The current fiscal crisis has spawned recent articles about the de-globalization of the world economy and the need to create new mass consumption business models. How might this affect sustainable design?

By Steve Belletire on April 30, 2009

I thank you for asking an important, albeit complex question, so I’ll try to provide some context for my response. The financial crisis has triggered a global recession resulting in the contraction of large consumer economies like that of the US, as growing numbers of people experience job loss along with decreased asset values. These factors have combined to send consumer spending into a downward spiral in many parts of the world, derailing global economic growth plans.

Events are causing some economists to speculate on what a global economy will be like in a ‘post financial crisis’ world. The baseline question is this: will consumers change their spending, savings, and lifestyle habits in fundamental ways over the long term? During the 1930’s, consumption contracted, savings soared, and businesses tried to adjust to fewer discretionary dollars. Today, this model has significant implications for the design profession and for businesses pursuing sustainable design strategies as they try to ponder the future.

In the near-term we are seeing many consumers focusing on value. They are buying fewer ‘things’ beyond essentials, and non-essential purchases are meeting a more stringent evaluation of the value proposition. That’s good news for stores like Wal-Mart. This consumption model impacts medium- to higher-end goods most, resulting in fewer discretionary purchases. Many consumers are saying one of three things: “What I have is good enough; I can live without that; or, I really don’t need so much.”

Certifications & labeling, Designers , Electronics, Marketing, Packaging, Products, Standards & regulations , Strategies, Sustainable Europe

Question: With so many companies jumping on the ‘green bandwagon,’ what governmental agencies or industry groups are working to keep them honest?

By Steve Belletire on November 30, 2008

It should come as no surprise that surveys of consumers indicate a strong desire for verifiable green marketing claims. For the past two years claims of ‘green marketing’ have expanded to a point where consumers have become overloaded regarding such marketing claims. Recent consumer marketing data confirms the skepticism related to this overload.

In July of 2008 the Gandalf Group spoke with 1500 adult Canadians about their views and attitudes regarding the impact of environmental issues. The responses indicate that design teams and marketers need to pay greater attention to consumer attitudes if they hope to connect with consumers concerning ecodesign strategies.

The results:

Most Canadians say there are so many conflicting claims about the environment that they’re not sure what to believe.
Canadians overwhelmingly want regulation and labeling to clear up the confusion. They want to know:
- What is just a marketing ploy?
- What is legitimately environmentally friendly?
Eighty-five percent of Canadians want standards enforced on producers and labeling that certifies and explains terms such as organic, low emissions, and green.
Two-thirds of Canadians say the term “green” has been used so much that it doesn’t have much meaning for them anymore when a company claims it.¹

Confirming these attitudes in the U.S., an Ipsos Reid study conducted in the spring of 2008 indicated that at the time, seven in ten Americans either strongly or somewhat agreed that when companies call a product ’green‘ it is usually just a ‘marketing tactic.’ U.S. consumers, the study reports, seem to be wary of firms who label products as ‘green’ or ‘environmentally friendly.’²

Certifications & labeling, Designers , Electronics, Marketing, Packaging, Products, Standards & regulations , Strategies, Sustainable Europe

Can you help me sort out the difference between the MBDC Cradle to Cradle(SM) Protocol, the Natural Step, and Okala?

By Louise St. Pierre on November 30, 2008

Good question. Each of these approaches makes a contribution to eco-design in a different way. One proposes a set of standards, another is a framework for long-range planning, and the third a collection of strategies and tools for specific decision-making.

Cradle to Cradle^SM (C2C) Protocol is a set of standards for environmentally benign products and systems. These standards are rooted Cradle to Cradle thinking, which is the long-understood principle that nature wastes nothing — everything is food for something else. Authors William McDonough and Michael Braungart propose that if we recycle everything with diligence and precision, we create “a positive paradigm where growth is good.”

Certifications & labeling, Life cycle assessment, Products, Standards & regulations , Strategies, Teamwork

Which system is better for measuring a product's environmental performance – ‘process flows’ or ‘environmental impacts’?

By Philip White on September 30, 2008

When modeling the life cycle environmental performance of products and services, some people account for process flows – energy use, water use and solid waste production. Others account for environmental impacts – such as global warming potential, human toxicity and ecotoxicity, water pollution, ozone layer depletion, and smog production. Differences between these measurable groups may seem subtle, but they have significant implications for our ability to protect natural ecology and human health.

Process flows
Non-scientists quickly comprehend the idea of process flows. Embodied energy, water use and solid waste production are relatively self-explanatory concepts. As a rough and simple metric – they indicate the quantity of resources associated with the production of a material or process, and they echo the common idea that material, energy and waste flows are proportional to environmental impacts. This generalization can, however, lead to erroneous conclusions. A closer look reveals some of the paradoxes inherent in measuring process flows in the pursuit of making ‘greener’ products.

Life cycle assessment, Manufacturing , Materials & processes, Standards & regulations , Strategies, Sustainability paradox

Some companies use carbon footprinting while others use life cycle assessment (LCA). What are the differences between the two approaches and what situations are best suited for each impact estimation method?

By Philip White on August 31, 2008

LCA and carbon footprinting both model the entire lifecycle of a product or system. The only difference is that LCA models eight to twelve impact categories, while carbon footprinting only models one: global warming.

Global warming potential is measured in equivalent pounds of carbon dioxide. For example, if a product emitted one pound of a greenhouse gas that had twice the global warming potential value of carbon dioxide, its carbon footprint would be two pounds of CO₂ equivalents.

The Okala LCA method models ten impact categories, including global warming, and combines them into a single impact factor value that models the product’s overall environmental performance. The carbon footprint is thus embedded in the Okala impact factor for each product’s material and process. With Sustainable Minds‘ software suite (coming Q1 '09), users can model either the product’s overall environmental performance (in Okala impact millipoints) or can select to model only the carbon footprint (in CO₂ equivalents).

The Okala LCA method models ten impact categories and combines them into a single impact value.

Electronics, Life cycle assessment, Manufacturing , Materials & processes, Products, Standards & regulations , Supply chain, Sustainability paradox

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