What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact What is a Product Life Cycle? Just as living things are born, age, and die, products also have a life cycle. Each stage of a product’s development affects our environment in different ways – from how we use it to the quantities that we buy. What we do with a product when we are finished with it also has environmental effects.

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Reuse, Recycle, Disposal Design Use Distribution Materials Acquisition A product’s life cycle usually includes these stages. Manufacturing Materials Processing Packaging

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Design Engineers, designers, and manufacturers research, model, and test a product before mass producing. Products that are designed to be reused instead of thrown away prevent waste. 9 Communicate Results Design Process 2 Brainstorm 3 4 Research Develop Ideas 6 7 Model or Prototype Test and Evaluate 8 Improve Design 1 Define the Problem 5 Choose Best Idea Designing a CD: Engineers use the design process

Materials Acquisition What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Materials Acquisition All products are made from various raw materials. Virgin materials require larger amounts of energy and deplete our natural resources. Recycled or recovered materials reduce pollution, energy use, and the raw materials needed from the earth. Materials in a CD: Aluminum Polycarbonate Lacquer Gold Dyes Others, including water, glass, silver, nickel Virgin materials are those being used or worked for the first time – such as trees or iron ore. Virgin materials are directly harvested or mined from the earth.

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Materials Processing Materials extracted from the earth must be converted into a form that is useful for making products. For example, wood is made into paper after several different manufacturing processes. Processing for a CD: Mined materials must be processed Bauxite ore turned into aluminum Crude oil combined with natural gas and chemicals to make plastic Each process creates waste and consumes energy. For example, making one ton of recycled paper used 64% less energy, uses 50% less water, creates 74% less air pollution, saves 17 trees, and creates 5 times more jobs than does manufacturing one ton of paper products from virgin wood pulp.

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Manufacturing Products are made in factories that use a lot of energy. Manufacturing creates waste and contributes to the production of greenhouse gases. Manufacturing a CD: Injection molding Metallizer – reflective layer of metal Lacquer – protective coating Screen printed

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Packaging Product packaging undergoes separate manufacturing processes that use energy and consume natural resources. CD Packaging Jewel cases Cardboard boxes Shrink-wrapping Packaging serves several purposes: prevent tampering, provide information, preserve hygienic integrity and freshness. Sometimes packaging can be excessive.

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Distribution Manufactured products are transported to the location where they are sold. Materials and parts used to make products are transported at earlier stages in the life cycle. All transporting uses energy and creates greenhouse gases. CD Distribution: Sent to distribution center by Plane Truck Train All use fossil fuels for energy.

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Use The way products are used impacts our environment. Reusable, durable, and recyclable products conserve natural resources, use less energy, and create less waste. Using a CD If properly stored and handled, CDs can last for decades. Take care of discs by keeping them out of sunlight and away from heat and water. For example, fluorescent light bulbs reduce energy consumption because they are 4-5 times more efficient than incandescent light bulbs. Reducing energy use cuts down on power plant emissions that contribute to greenhouse gases, acid rain, and smog. Properly caring for products increases their useful life, so read and follow all cleaning, operating, and maintenance instructions for the products you own.

Reuse/Recycle or Disposal What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Reuse/Recycle or Disposal Recycling or remanufacturing products into new commodities saves energy and reduces the raw materials used in the manufacturing process. Throwing products in the trash ends their useful life. Reuse a CD: Share with a friend Recycle a CD: Recycling companies make CDs into: Automotive industry parts Raw materials to make plastics Office equipment Jewel cases Consider downloading music to an MP3 player instead of purchasing a CD to begin with.

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Reuse, Recycle, Disposal Design Use Distribution Life Cycle of a CD Materials Acquisition A product’s life cycle usually includes these stages. Manufacturing Materials Processing Packaging

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Paper Life Cycle Materials Acquisition Packaging, Distribution, Use Recycle Manufacturing Materials Processing http://www.pneb.com.au/recycling.html The Publishers National Environment Bureau (PNEB) is the association of Australia's leading newspaper and magazine publishers, working since 1990 to promote the sustainable recovery of old newspapers and magazines. http://www.pneb.com.au/recycling.html

What is a Product Life Cycle? Gateway To Technology Unit 3 – Lesson 3.3 – Making an Impact Image Resources Microsoft, Inc. (2008). Clip art. Retrieved May 26, 2009, from http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/default.aspx Publishers National Environment Bureau. (2004) Newspaper and magazine recycling. Retrieved May 26, 2009, from http://www.pneb.com.au/recycling.html