Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Cradle to Cradle VS Cradle to Grave

CRADLE TO GRAVE-(LCA, also known as life cycle analysis, ecobalance, and cradle-to-grave analysis) Is when a product/packaging is used and then thrown away and is put into landfill causing hazardous and environmental problems. These 'cradle to grave' products cant be recycled due to the material that is used in them. The moment you open and use a can of solvent you are a waste generator. Conservation laboratories might only produce 10–15 gallons of waste each year and private conservators only one quart, but the improper disposal of even small quantities may cause health, safety, and legal problems.
In 1980, EPA issued regulations detailing the responsibilities for hazardous waste generators, transporters, and management facilities. Among these regulations were two broad exclusions: households and small businesses that generated less than 1,000 kilograms per month of hazardous waste. A "Cradle-to-grave" assessment considers impacts at each stage of a product's life-cycle, from the time natural resources are extracted from the ground and processed through each subsequent stage of manufacturing, transportation, product use, and ultimately, disposal.











CRADLE TO CRADLE

A certification system and philosophy established by architect William McDonough based on the idea that products and the built environment should be designed in a closed system so that when they are no longer useful, they provide fuel for new products or natural cycles, eliminating waste. This framework seeks to create production techniques that are not just efficient, but essentially waste-free. In cradle-to-cradle production, all material inputs and outputs are seen either as technical or biological nutrients. Technical nutrients can be recycled or reused with no loss of quality and biological nutrients can be composted or consumed.

All the materials that are used in the cradle to cradle idea are metals, fibers, dyes. These materials fall into one of two categories: "technical" or "biological" nutrients.

Technical nutrients are strictly limited to non-toxic, non-harmful materials that have no negative effects on the natural environment; they can be used in continuous cycles as the same product without losing their integrity or quality. In this manner these materials can be used over and over again instead of being "downcycled" into lesser products, ultimately becoming waste.

Biological Nutrients are organic materials that, once used, can be disposed of in any natural environment and decompose into the soil, providing food for small life forms without affecting the natural environment.


The ‘Mirra chair’ is a office chair contains that contains 42% recycled

material and is 96% recyclable.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle_to_cradle


http://aic.stanford.edu/health/guides/guide4_1.html


http://www.nkba.org/green/glossary.aspx


http://www.dantes.info/Projectinformation/Glossary/Glossary.html


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cradle-to-grave


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