Life Cycle Analysis Essay Examples

Question No. 1

A paper, like any other product, has its life cycle. The life cycle of a paper is the sequence of events that takes place (or stages a paper undergo) from the moment the raw materials are extracted to the time the paper completes its useful life and is disposed. Every stage in the life cycle of a paper has an environmental impact. As an LCA analyst, my task is to generate a comprehensive assessment report of each particular stage and how the activities associated with paper imparts the environment. As such, the scope would cover raw material extraction (timber), paper processing, paper use, and paper disposal. It shall also include logistics such as transportation of raw materials and finished products. The study shall assess the impact of each stage on the environment such as energy and air, resources, water and waste. In energy and air, the areas of interest include total primary energy consumption, non-renewable energy, renewable energy, greenhouse gas emissions, air acidification, chemical-photo oxidants, and human toxicity. On water, it would involve a study on consumption, eco-toxicity, and eutrophication. Resource assessment would look into non-renewable resource depletion while in waste, the focus would be non-hazardous waste production.

Question No. 2

In a typical LCA involving various modes of transportation options, the overall goal is to assess how the transport impact environment. The goal is to choose a mode that would result in minimum impact on the environment. The scope of the assessment would be limited to the amount of fuel consumption when various modes of options are considered. Fuel can be fossil-based or non-fossil based renewable energy. Amount of fuel consumption influence the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere especially in vehicles that are powered by internal combustion engines using petroleum products. The function of this LCA is transportation. All modes (bicycles, individual car, carpooling, and bus) all performs the same function: transportation. In the context of environmental impact, the functional unit of this LCA is the amount of emissions per chosen mode. The level of emissions from the highest emitter of carbon to the least is individual car, carpooling, bust, and lastly bicycle. Cycling therefore has the least environmental impact and would be the best choice. The next best option would be to take a bus or use a combination of bus and bicycle if the bust-stop (say) is far from the office or house. Sometimes, in rainy seasons or hot weather, using a bicycle may not be a good option especially for one working in an office unless showers are provided. It might be necessary to take the next best alternative and this has to be a bus. In such a case, it might be necessary to use a bus for some distance and cover the rest of the distance by walking or cycling.
Question No.3