MP9 Environmental Decision-Making Case Studies
D137-140
1:20 PM - 4:40 PM, Monday
() Environmental decision-making in sustainable consumption: Assessment of key decisions and case studies.
Kaenzig, J.1, Jolliet, O.1, 1 Industrial Ecology - Life Cycle Systems (http://gecos.epfl.ch/lcsystems), Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne, Switzerland
ABSTRACT- Environmental decision-making is required every day from consumers as well as from policy makers. How to spend money in a sustainable way? At present consumers are awash with pieces of information on how to consume in a sustainable way and not seldom the information seem contradictory. Life-cycle approaches can provide a scientific basis for environmental decision-making as well as for economical and social aspects. There is a need for reliable assessments of the environmental impacts of all consumption activities and there is even a stronger need for prioritising of consumption patterns and alternatives that can make a significant difference. The present paper takes the perspective of consumers and illustrates with case studies the potential environmental benefits of a series of sustainable consumption patterns. The study assesses the environmental impact linked to personal consumption and aims to identify key factors, key decisions and key actors. It then elaborates sustainable consumption patterns suitable for communication. Whenever possible, life cycle impacts from extraction of raw materials, production, use and disposal are separately assessed in order to identify the key actors and decisions. A listing of the most important decisions in regard to sustainable consumption leads to case studies for housing (thermal quality of buildings, heating-system), mobility (means of transportation, holiday destination, commuting), electronic appliances and renewable energies. Financial trade-offs are taken into account and discussed in a consistent way with the potential environmental benefits of sustainable consumption patterns.
Key words: Sustainable consumption, Environmental decision-making, Life-cycle approaches