Identify the inputs, such as pulp, water, and dyes to make the paper, LCA can currently be performed 2 ways: 1) Process-based or 2) economic input-output based. A free economic input-output LCA is available via the Green Design Institute at Carnegie Mellon. Alternative (other-than-process-based) methods of calculating net product impact can provide quick, cost effective, and yet comprehensive life-cycle assessments. Please consider using an economic input-output model. You can either deal with a free but limited subset of the data and invest time, or invest money, perhaps in a simpler tool.
TL DR: There's a reason LCA tools cost money, and it's because it requires a lot of time and effort to generate the underlying data. One sidenote is that assessing the social impacts of products/processes is something that's still very much in basic research. It's aimed at designers and iteration, so it might not be ideal. That won't fulfill the 'easy' part right away, but some Python or Excel macros would likely make it pretty functional for everyday use.Īn alternative might be something like Sustainable Minds, which is not free, but is designed to be very easy to use. That being said, some of the raw data is free - the US LCI database is, and can be combined with LCIA tools like ReCiPe in Excel to get 'interpretable' impacts like GHG emissions. That's why the products are expensive, often have high learning curves, and why people take multiple semester course sequences to learn about LCA. These factors merit a need for time investment to generate the data, standardize it, and develop tools for using it. Moreover, helper applications are being developed.One if the issues with LCA is that it's very data intensive, and that generic products/processes can be subject to a lot of uncertainty. openLCA is modular and can be extended by a growing numbers of plug-ins. In addition, openLCA can be configured to interact with a web-based database, which can be used for data and model exchange in addition to. Versions are available for Windows, Mac, and Linux, for 32 and 64 bit they run directly in these operation systems, so you do not need a virtual machine. OpenLCA is a desktop application that works without internet access. Recently, in October 2013, a method for a comprehensive sustainability assessment that we implemented in the course of the European 7th FP PROSUITE project was released as a free plugin for openLCA.
Later on, openLCA was extended to enable also economic life cycle assessment models, especially in a combination with LCA, in the form of Life Cycle Costing. Initially, the main application of openLCA was (environmental) life cycle assessment, LCA. its source code is freely available and can be modified by anyone.
OpenLCA is a free, professional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Footprint software with a broad range of functions and available databases, created by GreenDelta.
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