watch Professor Al Barlett’s talk called “Arithmetic, Population and Energy” available at: http://www.albartlett.org/index.html. The point here is that sustainability involves an effort to reduce or abandon dependence on limited resources, like oil and minerals. They will run out, so we cannot sustain a culture that depends on them to function. We have to learn that there are limits, and we are exceeding them by far. Embodied energy Embodied energy is the amount of resources and effort needed to produce a good in every step of its creation (Milne & Reardon, 2008). In the case of a surfboard, the energy embodied includes the extraction and refining of oil, the energy and chemicals used to create resin and fiberglass, the electricity used for shaping, and the gas used to transport the board to where it will be sold. The purpose for calculating embodied energy is to make products with a large amount function as long as possible. Otherwise, the effort put into its production is wasted if it is continually thrown away and replaced. Life-Cycle Analysis: cradle-to-cradle vs. cradle-to-grave A Life-Cycle Analysis is an important step in designing sustainable products. When considering the impact that a product will have on the environment, one must plan for all of the stages of its life. Where does it come from, how is it made, how much energy does it take to make it, how is it used, and how is it disposed of? These are questions that need to be asked before the production occurs, in the design phase. A Life-Cycle Analysis allows for the most complete understanding of a product’s environmental impact. Something that is made, bought, and thrown away has a cradle-to-grave lifespan. As of now, the typical surfboard has a cradle-to-grave lifespan (although they can be recycled, most are not). This can be analyzed for its impact in a number of ways: the oil and chemicals used for materials, the nonrenewable energy needed for manufacture, the gas used to transport it, and the threat it poses to the environment when thrown away. In the case of clothing, which is recyclable, a cradleto-cradle assessment can be completed. That is, it’s possible to plan out how a shirt is made to how it’s re-made, or re-used in the most environmentally sensitive way.
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