February 18th, 2011 -

Why life-cycle analysis is necessary to identify green products
By Larissa Teoh

What is Green? Obviously, it’s a colour. A deep, rich, non-primary colour that can range from the lighter tints we sometimes see on limes to a dark, almost black forest variation.

These days we see “Green” on many every day products we buy in shops: foods, cleaning supplies, clothing, and even vehicles. But what makes a product green? Other than the colour, which, let’s face it, not all of us are partial to, the “greenness” of a product can be estimated by multiple factors.

We often see “Manufactured using sustainable practices” on products we purchase. This means that the product was made from materials that were grown in fashions that do not diminish the Earth’s nutrients and fertility. Many factors account for sustainability, but can we actually put a number on what product is more sustainable than another? Can we quantify these intangible qualities? We probably could, but it would be a rough estimation, and would include bias after bias. One could claim that the conservation of water quality is more important than the retention of soil fertility. Another could claim that the use of organic practices is of higher value. This is not to say that all of these steps are not important. Of course, every bit helps. However, the fact of the matter is that we live in a world where hard numbers are persuasive and decisive.