Product design: Graphic products- Unit 3- Sustainability

Sustainability
1. Life cycle assessment

What is a life cycle assessment?
A life cycle assessment is a technique now widely used to asses and evaluate the impact of the product or packaging
from the beginning of its life to the end of it life through the extraction and raw materials…

Other forms of transport could be used, such as trains or even waterways when appropriate
The size of the journey could be reduced from the manufacture to the consumer either by use of local
resources or geographical locations of distribution centres
Reducing or lightening the amount of packaging used in…

What are 2 disadvantages of electricity as a form of fuel?
Very limited range
Slow charging/refilling time

What issues arise when looking at repair verses replacement of a product?
Many products are designed in such so way that it is virtually impossible to access internal components if
something stops functioning.…

Why is newsprint often made from recycled paper?
Contains the weakest fibres and has a short lifespan. Year upon year newspaper contains more recycled content.

What is a `remarkable pencil'?
A pencil made from recycled plastic vending cups.
The plastic contained in one high impact polystyrene vending cup is enough…

Fuel is not required so eliminates fuel costs and production of carbon dioxide
Hydroelectric plants are highly efficient with minimum running costs due to highly automated operation
Hydroelectric plants tend to have longer economic lives than fuel- fired generation, with some plants now in
service having been built 50- 100…

Uses uranium, which is abundant and widely distributed fuel
Controlled chain reaction creates heat that can also be used to heat the power station
Mitigates the greenhouse effect if used to replace fossil-fuel- derived electricity
Passively- safe nuclear reactors use new technology leading to increased levels of safety to avoid…

What are Non-Fossil Fuel obligations?
Instigated in 1989 when electricity in the UK was privatised
The Government superseded the NFFO with the Renewable Obligation in April 2002 stating that all electricity
suppliers should source 10% of their supply from renewable technologies by 2010, rising to 15% by 2015
They are…

Moving to supply sources in areas of ecological surplus
Certification systems that ensure that forests producing good for the UK are sustainably managed
Timber tracking systems to ensure that products from certified forest can be identifies as such
Reducing consumption through education and advisory approaches that show how to produce…