Which producer should receive environmental awards: the one who sells "less polluting" products or the one whose products do indeed create a better environment? Let's put this question in other words: should we award thieves as soon as they promise to steal less?
LCA (Life Cycle Assessment) is an easy-to-understand method of analysis for goods regarding their impact on the environment: it measures what exactly is used in the process of production and consumption of a product as well as its impact after use.
Prof. Bistagnino from the Politecnico di Torino (Italy) is teaching a new logic of input and output to his students, thus forming a new generation of consultants: For all output of a production there has to be found a new input, i.e. any byproduct which is generated during production has to be the raw material for another product. Nothing goes unused to the landfill, even energy is canalized to be reused.
The recycling of glass containers for beverages is an example, it can be transformed into glass foam and used in construction as a material for insulation as well as water, fire and fungi protection. Glass foam production even consumes CO2. This new way of analysis leads to a completely new evaluation, because the reusing of ressources can drastically reduce the cost of the production process.
