Protect Your Reputation: Don't Greenwash

According to one study, we’ll need two Earths to sustain the world’s population at the current rate of consumption by the year 2050, says Dr. Michael Lepech, assistant professor at Stanford University’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering: “Obviously, that’s not going to happen. So creating a more sustainable or ‘green’ life is the way to go.”

Lepech presented a session at C+P this mornign called Life Cycle Assessment Methods for Design and Manufacturing of Sustainable Composites. However, going green can be a precarious route. “It will do your company no favors if you say you are green, and then a watchdog group or a competitor discovers you aren’t,”  Lepech says.  To avoid this, he outlines what he called the IPAT, which stands for the following:

Impact = (Population size) x (Affluence) x (Environmental Damage)

Evaluating these variables allows companies to know what changes need to be made within their practices and products. Does a policy change need to occur, such as a tax cut or increase, public service announcement or lobbying? Or is a technical or process change needed in your plant? Lepech suggested that with three labels, a composites manufacturer can hopefully avoid greenwashing.

Type I, a third party assessment such as LEED.
Type II, a label developed by the products producer, focusing on a single attribute.
Type III, an eco-label awarded to a product based on a full life cycle assessment (such as a “made out of recycled material”.)

For more information on life cycle assessment click here.