Changing Consumption for a Greener Tomorrow

Green Consumerism

IntroductionProducts have environmental impacts

throughout their lifespanSome potential environmental impacts are

not known by most consumersProducts can also have detrimental health

impactsConsumer and producer mindsets- key

factors in environmental impact

Knowing Potential ImpactLife-cycle assessment

“a method that allows us to systematically tear apart any manufactured item into its components and their subsidiary industrial processes, and measure with near-surgical precision their impacts on nature from the beginning of their production through their final disposal.” (Goleman, 2009)

Product Life Cycle5 stages:

ExtractionProductionDistributionConsumptionDisposal

ExtractionProducts are made of raw materialsRaw materials are sourced from nature,

often coming with impuritiesCommon raw materials for products:

Rocks and mineralsPlantsWater

Extraction: Rocks and MineralsOften mined from mountains,

underground, caves etc. as oreInvolves clearing vast expanses of land,

often with vegetationDestroys natural habitats

Uses chemicals in order to soften the ground for diggingContamination of soil, groundwater,

nearby bodies of waterMay even involve mountaintop removal

Extraction: Rocks and MineralsContains impurities (minerals in trace

amounts only)Purification involves large amounts of energy,

water, and chemicals“Most of the ore-and an ever increasing amount, as

high grade sources disappear-ends up as waste.” (Leonard, 2010)

According to Dirty Metals: Mining, Communities, and the Environment, “Chemicals used in processing contaminate at least 90 billions tons of waste ore per year globally…”

Extraction: WaterOften used in numerous industrial and

domestic processes, usually in very large amounts256 gallons of water for 1 T-shirt!36 gallons of water for 1 cup of coffee!

Can easily be contaminated by a plethora of pollutants

Toilets: water contaminated with domestic waste

Extraction: PlantsFound in many places in natureOften cut down for wood, pulp (paper

making) and other materialsUN Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO): Net decrease of 6M hectares/year from 2000-2010

Threat to biodiversity, loss of habitats and valuable tools to mitigate climate change and pollution

ProductionRaw materials put together to create final productMajority of raw materials synthetic

Not too much known about possible health and environment impacts

Some highly toxic and can contaminate the environment

“Low-dose exposures over time can have tragic outcomes…reduced intelligence, lowered immunity, ADD, infertility, cancer, etc. “ (Colborn, T. et al., 1996)

ProductionDone in manufacturing plants

High energy and resource demandWaste products from manufacturing

process leech into soil, air, water

DistributionProcess of delivering products to where they are

needed i.e. stores, warehouses etc. including selling to customers

Goods transported by trucks, ships, planes, trains, etc.Emit large amounts of carbon dioxide and other

harmful gasesAs of 2005 contributed to 23% of the world’s

emissions, including developing nationsEmissions from transporting goods linked to lung

cancer and cardiopulmonary ailments which can be lethal

ConsumptionActual usage of the product until it is replacedMarketing lures many people to buy new

products, even when they are not truly neededPlanned obsolescence

Defined by Brooks Stevens, an American industrial designer as, “instilling in the buyer the desire to own something a little newer, a little better, a little sooner than necessary.”

According to Annie Leonard (2010), “In planned obsolescence, products are intended to be thrown away as quickly as possible then replaced.”

ConsumptionExample of planned obsolescence:

Cellphones have an average lifespan of only 1 year

New generations/iterations of certain models are introduced very quickly, prompting consumers to replace their current phones, even if they are in good working condition

Phil SchillerVice President for MarketingApple, Inc.

ConsumptionGlobal Footprint Network (GFN)-an

organization measuring overall ecological footprint of humans and of individual countriesCurrently, consumption is at 1.5 earths

per year, or 50% more resources than the planet can sustain

If all nations had consumption patterns akin to the US, we’d consume the equivalent of 5.4 earths!

DisposalDiscarding of products that are a.) no

longer useful, b.) no longer wanted, or c.) both

Options for end of life disposal:Landfills and open dumpsIncineratorsDumping in waterways and litteringCompostingRecyclingReusing

Disposal-Landfills and DumpsOpen dumps-waste is dumped in an open

areaAttracts flies, rats, other disease carrying

organismsGases emitted cause air pollution and

foul odor, leachate causes water pollution

Disposal-Landfills and DumpsLandfill-engineered facility where garbage is covered

by a layer of soil daily, includes leachate and gas collection and treatment systemsInevitably leak due to liner rupturing under immense

pressure, polluting soil and groundwaterLeachate contains many toxic substances such as

heavy metalsEx. Manganese-->damage in areas of the brain

responsible for movement, possible link to Parkinson’s

Some gases produced, when burned can cause adverse effects

Disposal-IncineratorsReduces volume of waste by as much as 90%

(Hufemia, 2007)Can be used to generate electricity (waste to energy)Generates ash (particulate matter), which may contain

heavy metals and must be disposed of in landfills and gaseous emissions

Generates organic compounds such as dioxins, some of the most toxic man-made substancesCarcinogen, linked to birth defects, infertility,

learning disabilities, etc.Trivia: Philippines-only country to ban garbage

incinerators

Disposal-Dumping in waterways and litteringAesthetically unappealingCauses land and/or water pollutionClogs drains

Flooding during heavy rainCan be ingested by organisms, poisoning

them

Disposal-CompostingOnly for biodegradable wasteDegraded into organic matter which can be

used to fertilize soilRestores nutrients to soil, maintains

ecological balanceAids in plant growth

Disposal-RecyclingOnly for recyclable materialsReduces the need to extract more resourcesExtends the usable time period of materials

before they become wasteMuch less energy is used to manufacture

products from recycled material than virgin materialAluminum recycling-up to 95% energy savings

vs. aluminum ore extraction and purification!Reduces carbon dioxide emissions

Disposal-ReusingSome used materials can still be used

again before having to be disposedEx. Paper where front side has been used,

Plastic bags from grocery shopping, etc.Extends the usable lifespan of materialsReduces need for sourcing virgin materials

Avoids impact associated with extractionLess carbon dioxide emissionsLess energy used

What can be done on your part?Awareness! Be informed about how environmentally

friendly your product actually is!Goodguide.com-website that assesses a myriad of

products based on environmental impacts, now has an iOS app

Greenpeace’s Guide to Green Electronics-Evaluates electronics producers in terms of their overall environmental impact, updated yearly

View product LCA’s if possibleBuy products with proper environmental certificationBuy locally made products

Causes less overall pollution and GHG emissions than non-local equivalents

What can be done on your part?Buy products with less packaging

Less packaging=less materials=less harmTake part in proper waste segregation and reduction

3 R’sComposting, if possible

Reject products that are highly toxic to human health and the environment

Do not throw away or replace products that are still in good working conditionAlternatives include handing down to

siblings/relatives, selling, take-back programs or maintenance

ConclusionEach part of a product’s life cycle has considerable

environmental impactsOur role as consumers is to reduce impact where

possibleBuying products which cause less environmental

harm benefits us as wellLesser health impacts

We should also be mindful of how to properly dispose our waste and reduce the amount of waste produced

Remember:“There is no away.”“One man’s trash, another man’s treasure.”

Bibliography Bilton, N. Disruptions: You Know You Can’t Live Without Apple’s Latest Glass Rectangle:

New York Times (October 29, 2012). Retrieved November 9, 2012, from http://finance.yahoo.com/news/disruptions-know-cant-live-without-163824479.html

Goleman, D. (2009). Ecological Intelligence. New York: Broadway Books.

Hufemia, A. (2007). Resource Recovery…Begins With Me. In Emilyn Q. Espiritu, Ph.D. (Ed.) Introduction to Environmental Science : Managing Resources for Sustainable Development (pp. 212-230). Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.

Leonard, A. (2010). The Story of Stuff. New York: Free Press

Aluminum Recycling: Chicago Recycling Coalition. Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.chicagorecycling.org/aluminum.htm

Dioxins & Furans: The Most Toxic Chemicals Known to Science: Energy Justice Network. (2012). Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/

Manganese Exposure and Diagnosis of Manganism or Manganese poisoning: Brayton Purcell LLP. (2012). Retrieved November 12, 2012, from http://www.welding-rod-dangers.com/illness/illness_manganism_detect.htm

State of the World's Forests: United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. (2012). Retrieved July 21, 2013 from http://www.fao.org/docrep/016/i3010e/i2010e.pdf

World Footprint: Global Footprint Network. (2013) Retrieved July 20, 2013 from http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/index.php/GFN/page/world_footprint

Imageshttp://sydney.edu.au/facilities/images/

Sustainable_campus/procurement/product_lc(large).jpg

http://mountainjustice.org/facts/images/MTRsteps.jpg

http://www.blueenvironmental.com/images/imgLandfillDiagram.jpg

Thank you for listening!Questions?