Ways of reducing the use of resources

• Life-cycle assessments can evaluate the environmental impact of a product.
• Many products are recycled to lessen environmental impact.
• Modern metal extraction can reduce the impact on the environment.
• A life-cycle assessment, also known as a life-cycle analysis or LCA, is a 'cradle to grave' analysis of the impact of a manufactured product on the environment.
• The main stages of a life-cycle assessment include extracting and processing the raw materials, manufacturing the product and its packaging, using the product during its lifetime, and disposing of the product at the end of its useful life.
• All stages of a life-cycle assessment are likely to include information about the use of energy, the transport of materials, and the release of waste substances into the environment.
• The raw materials we need come from the Earth's crust.
• The atmosphere, oceans, or are due to living organisms.
• Obtaining these materials has an impact on the environment, including using up limited resources, damaging habitats, and causing pollution.
• The manufacture of products has an impact on the environment, including using up land for factories, using machines and people, and producing waste.
• The impact of a product on the environment during its use depends on the type of product, for example, a wooden chair has very little impact, unless it needs cleaning or repair, while using a car will have a significant impact.
• The disposal of old products has an impact on the environment, including using up land for landfill sites, whether any or all of the product can be recycled, and whether the product can be reused.