Environmental · Sustainability
Life Cycle Assessment: Reusable vs. Single-Use
Advanced 5 weeks 35-45 hours
Compare the full environmental impact of a reusable and a single-use product with free openLCA software and find the break-even point.
Major
Environmental
Focus area
Sustainability
Total hours
35-45 hours
What you'll need
- Software only - openLCA (free), Federal LCA Commons data (free), Excel
Steps
- Pick 2 products to compare, like reusable vs. single-use bottles, cups, or bags.
- Define a functional unit, like drinking 1 liter of water a day for a year.
- Build an inventory of materials, manufacturing, transport, use, and disposal.
- Model both products in openLCA.
- Compare global warming, energy, and water impacts and find the break-even number of uses.
- Document the study for your portfolio.
What to photograph for your portfolio
- System boundary diagram
- impact comparison chart
- break-even chart
- openLCA model
Resume bullet starters
Copy one, then swap in your own numbers.
Conducted a life cycle assessment comparing [product A] and [product B] across 3 impact categories using openLCA
Found the reusable option breaks even on carbon emissions after [X] uses
Quantified results with [insert your result, such as removal percentage, accuracy, strength, or cost savings] and summarized findings in a technical report
Skills you'll show off
Life cycle assessmentopenLCAinventory analysisimpact assessmentsustainability communication