In the Wk 1 – Environmental Impact Matrix assignment, you analyzed the life cycle of a common product, and you now have an idea of the impact an ordinary purchase can have on the environment. In this
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Environmental Impact Research Matrix
InstructionsAnalyzing the life cycle of a product is one of the best ways to understand the impact of our consumption on the environment. In this assignment, you will research the series of steps that it takes to deliver a common product to the public and consider how consumers’ choices and behavior can contribute to or diminish environmental sustainability.
Select one of the following products: car, new cell phone, plastic grocery bags, food of your choice, a new 3-bedroom home, an online purchase of your choice, or another product of your choice with faculty approval.
Research the life cycle of your selected product using the internet, textbook, University Library, or other resources.
Analyze the environmental impact of the purchase or usage of the product you selected by completing the matrix below. Answer each question in the matrix with a 1- to 2-sentence response. Be sure to provide references for the sources you use. A partial example has been provided for you.
Example| Name of Product/Process: Cup of Yogurt | |
| Question | Answer |
| Every cup of yoghurt requires sugar, milk, bacteria, and water, but cow’s milk is the most common ingredient. The states that supply the most dairy in the U.S. are California (18.5%) and Wisconsin (14.2%). |
| Many different types of milk can be used, but each half cup of yogurt typically requires half a gallon of milk. Petroleum oil is used to make yogurt cups. |
Sources:
The California Dairy Press Room & Resources. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.californiadairypressroom.com/Press_Kit/Dairy_Industry_Facts
Matrix| Name of Product/Process: Plastic Grocery Bag | |
| Question | Answer |
| Plastic grocery bags are made out of polymer derived from petroleum and polyethylene. However, the types of polyethylene used include high-density polyethylene and low-density polyethylene (Bright Hub Engineering, 2011). |
| The plastic grocery bags are manufactured in a process called blown film extrusion. Heat is required to melt the plastics for remodeling into different shapes and sizes. |
| The bags are transported to the grocery stores via delivery trucks which are either from the manufacturing company or the plastic grocery bag sellers. |
| After usage, the plastic grocery bag is tossed into the trash can as waste material. |
| Plastic grocery bags generate nonbiodegradable kinds of waste materials into the environment (Lee, 2018). The plastic wastes are recyclable, though at fairly low rates, with the U.S. only recycling 7% of the plastic waste. |
| If disposed of correctly, plastic grocery bags may not cause any environmental pollution. On the other hand, they are beneficial because they generate less amount of water than paper bags, less amount of greenhouse gases, and need 4% of the quantity of water used to manufacture paper bags. |
Sources:
Bright Hub Engineering. (2011). How are Plastic Shopping Bags Made? Retrieved from https://www.brighthubengineering.com/manufacturing-technology/108204-how-plastic-shopping-bags-are-made-and-recycled/#:~:text=The%20process%20used%20to%20manufacture,regular%20rate%20through%20the%20barrel
Lee, K. (2018, April 23). What Are the Effects of Non-Biodegradable Waste? Retrieved from Sciencing.com: https://sciencing.com/effects-nonbiodegradable-waste-8452084.html
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