Hi Gordon,
I would suggest a combination of both Bruce and Sandra's suggestions, based
on three versions of an alarm clock (mechanical, analog electric and
electronic) and five green focal areas (weight, energy, packaging, hazardous
substances and recycling/disposal). I've given a number of trainings over
the past 5 years in this way, and it works very well as you can tailor the
depth of the exercise to the time available and the level of the groups.
The groups look at the three alarm clocks and assess with ++, +, 0, -, -- in
which focal areas which product scores best/least. In terms of supply chain,
you could add a focal area specific for transport of resources and products.
Once the products have been compared you can look at ways to improve each of
them (or to come up with novel ways of achieving the same functionality).
Good luck!
Best wishes,
Maarten
-----Original Message-----
Topics of the day:
1. LCA exercise for classroom use? (3)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 17:04:12 -0600
From: Gordon P Rands <
GP-Rands@WIU.EDU>
Subject: LCA exercise for classroom use?
Has anyone had good success with an assignment involving students conducting
simple life cycle analyses of common products, suitable for an undergraduate
class consisting of management majors and minors with non-business majors
(e.g., not the most sophisticated math skills).
The last time I looked for information for a possible assignment, it seemed
that the raw data for an LCA was very difficult to find.
Any suggestions or copies of assignments with links to data sources would be
greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Gordon
Gordon Rands
Associate Professor of Management
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL 61455
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2007 10:28:29 -0500
From: Sandra Rothenberg <
srothenberg@COB.RIT.EDU>
Subject: Re: LCA exercise for classroom use?
I wrote a case Alpha Motors, Ltd: Integrating Life-Cycle Environmental
Concerns into Product Design. It comes with a spreadsheet that students
can explore - but they mainly interact with the front page. Basically its
about making a decision about the material choice of a automobile hood.
Steel, plastic or aluminum. It has quite a bit in it that explains LCA and
the approach used in the spreadsheet, but it also suggests assigning a few
readings that explain other approaches so students can compare them. It
comes with a teaching note
I just saw that it was listed on Amazon. I am assuming that this case comes
with the spreadsheet.
http://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Motors-Ltd-Integrating-Environmental/dp/15697324
42
You can also get it from
http://www.bellinnovation.org/node/185
-----Original Message-----
From: Organizations and the Natural Environment Discussion
[mailto:
ONE-L@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Gordon P Rands
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 6:04 PM
To:
ONE-L@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: LCA exercise for classroom use?
Has anyone had good success with an assignment involving students conducting
simple life cycle analyses of common products, suitable for an undergraduate
class consisting of management majors and minors with non-business majors
(e.g., not the most sophisticated math skills).
The last time I looked for information for a possible assignment, it seemed
that the raw data for an LCA was very difficult to find.
Any suggestions or copies of assignments with links to data sources would be
greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Gordon
Gordon Rands
Associate Professor of Management
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL 61455
------------------------------
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2007 09:39:36 -0800
From: Bruce Paton <
bpaton@SFSU.EDU>
Subject: Re: LCA exercise for classroom use?
Gordon,
I use a fairly simple LCA activity in our undergrad, grad, and executive
"business in society" classes. It requires relatively little data and =
can
fit nicely into our 75 minute course time slots. It can be trimmed if =
you
have less time or expanded if you have more. I also have some follow on
activities (described below) that may be useful. All of them have =
worked
well with different groups.
My emphasis in all of these is not on the data, since as you say the =
data
can be difficult to find. I also really don=92t have them do any
calculations. Instead I focus on getting students to use what they know =
or
discover what they never thought about. For example, almost every time =
I do
this, teams will ask what the raw materials for plastic or glass are!! =
Many
of our students haven=92t really ever thought about where products they =
use
come from or where they go to when they=92re done with them.
For the basic LCA exercise, I use a single slide to introduce the =
framework.
(I use a simplified 5 phase model.) I typically give each student a =
paper
copy of the slide for them to take notes with. I explain that LCAs can =
be
very complex and show many stages, but they don=92t have to. The =
simplified
framework provides a lot of the insight. I typically walk through an
example such as a bookcase as I=92m explaining the framework. The =
explanation
typically takes about 10-15 minutes.
Then I walk around with a bag full of products and give one product to =
each
team (of 4-5 students), along with a transparency of the slide described
above, and a fine-tip dry erase marker. I keep a bag of goodies handy =
for
the project including familiar things from home like a full bottle of =
Coke,
a cotton polyester shirt, a full wine bottle, a can of Campbell=92s =
soup, a
dead Nintendo Gameboy, a portable radio, a dead broadband modem, and a
previous edition of their textbook. I sometimes use a picture of a =
Harley
Davidson motorbike, etc. I try to get a mix of products that will =
include
heavy impacts at different stages. (For example, the Gameboy has lots of =
use
phase impacts such as battery consumption, as well as end of life =
issues.)
I give them about 30 minutes to identify the major impacts at each =
stage. I
also ask them to identify one or two stages where they could =
significantly
reduce the impact, and ask them to suggest ways they could reduce those
impacts.
I have each team do a short report out(using the transparency) in which =
they
identify the major impacts at each stage and describe the 1 or 2 things =
that
they would do to reduce the impacts. I usually need to coach them to =
keep
from getting lost in the details. But every team I've ever had do this =
has
been able to identify some steps to reduce impacts. (I think that's the
major aha for most of them.)
As the teams are working on the LCAs I float around and answer =
questions.
Students often have no idea what raw materials go into making things =
like
plastic or batteries. I help them figure it out, but I also say that if
they don=92t know, they should make a reasonable guess and base their
evaluation on that reasonable guess. (I can correct them later or have
other students help them figure it out.)
If I=92m working with a longer class in our 2 =BD hour time slots, I =
then segue
into one or the other of two activities. Sometimes I then look at about =
the
first 12 minutes of the video, =93The High Tech Trashing of Asia=94 =
(from Basel
Action Network
http://www.ban.org/main/film.html) to focus attention on =
end
of life issues. There=92s usually a shock as people have no idea about =
the
destructive impacts at end of life.
Sometimes instead of or in addition to the High Tech Trashing video, I =
have
them read a fairly brief LCA of a cell phone as preparation for the =
class.
I have them read about 20 pages from a report called =93Integrated =
Product
Policy Pilot Project, Stage 1 Final Report: Life Cycle Environmental =
Issues
of Mobile Phones=94 written by a Nokia team.
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/ipp/pdf/nokia_mobile_05_04.pdf (I have =
them
start at page 12.) I then lead them through a discussion of what the =
major
impacts are and what insights they get from the LCA.
I often have students do an essay about the LCA for a product on the =
final
exam, and I'm always surprised to see how much they retain from the
exercises.
I hope these are helpful.
Bruce
-----Original Message-----
From: Organizations and the Natural Environment Discussion
[mailto:
ONE-L@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU] On Behalf Of Gordon P Rands
Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 3:04 PM
To:
ONE-L@AOMLISTS.PACE.EDU
Subject: LCA exercise for classroom use?
Has anyone had good success with an assignment involving students =
conducting
simple life cycle analyses of common products, suitable for an =
undergraduate
class consisting of management majors and minors with non-business =
majors=20
(e.g., not the most sophisticated math skills).
The last time I looked for information for a possible assignment, it =
seemed=20
that the raw data for an LCA was very difficult to find.
Any suggestions or copies of assignments with links to data sources =
would be
greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Gordon
Gordon Rands
Associate Professor of Management
Western Illinois University
Macomb, IL 61455
------------------------------
End of ONE-L Digest - 19 Jan 2007 to 20 Jan 2007 (#2007-14)
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