SusAF Environmental Dimension

The environmental dimension of the Sustainability Assessment Framework focuses on the impacts a service or product has the environment. These impacts can be viewed and analyzed from a variety of different perspectives, depending on what the product or service in question is. Some perspectives to consider are material and resource consumption, the associated waste and pollution, biodiversity, energy usage, as well as logistics. We’ll delve deeper into these subtopics to further explain how to create a SusAF diagram with an accurate, and useful environmental dimension.

Material and resource consumption looks at what is needed to produce, deploy, operate, a product or service, as well as what may be needed after the product or service has concluded, and is no longer to be used.

Some steps to keep in mind regarding the impacts from material and resource consumption are

• Identify elements related to the materials that may be needed to produce, deploy, operate, a product or service, as well as what may be needed after the product or service has concluded, and is no longer to be used.
• Assess and evaluate how said materials are being consumed, or how they may be consumed or used in the future.
• Investigate how the products consumption may be changing over time, and what could be casuing this

Some examples of considerations

• How are materials and resources consumed to produce the product or service in question
• What materials and resources are consumed to operate the product or service
• How can the product or service change the way people consume materials or resources?

Some examples of Impacts

• Manufacturing of the product requires rare resources that are not mined sustainably, thus an increase in consumption of these resources. This leads to mining activities that can degrade land and ecosystem

Waste and pollution considers the impact and effect on soil, atmospheric, and water pollution levels, that the product or service in question may have.

Some steps to keep in mind regarding the impacts from waste and pollution are

• Identify elements that contribute to soil, atmospheric, and water pollution.
• Look at what emissions and waste are generated during the development, production, and use of the product or service. It’s also important to keep in mind what happens after the product or service is no longer of use.
• Assess what are the main contributing factors to the creation of waste and emissions

Some examples of considerations

• How can producing parts or supplies generate waste or emissions?
• How can the use itself produce waste or emissions?
• How can the product or service influence how much waste or emissions are generated?
• How can the product or service impair, or promote recycling.

Some examples of Impacts

• Uploading and storing photos on Instagram requires data centers that emit CO2.

Biodiversity looks into how the product or service impacts and effects it’s operational environment, or other land that may be impacted by it’s operation.

Some steps to keep in mind regarding the impacts from biodiversity consumption are

• Identify elements that impact plants, animals, and ecosystems in the environment, land, or other areas that may be effected via the operation of the product or service.
• Assess the how these effects and impacts change over time
• Consider what side effects these impacts may have (as in the chain of effects within an ecosystem)

Some examples of considerations

• How can the product or service impact the plants or animals around it? Or elsewhere?
• How can the product or service change the composition of the soil around it (such as the impact on nearby crops)

Some examples of Impacts

• Data centre construction can disrupt local wildlife habitats.

Logistics relates to the impact and effect a product or service may have on moving both people, and goods.

Some steps to keep in mind regarding the impacts from logistics are

• Identify elements that relate to the movement of people and goods
• Assess the impact of what transportation the product or service may need. This includes transporting both people, and goods.

Some examples of considerations

• How can the product or service affect or impact the need for moving people or goods?
• How can the product or service affect or impact the distance for moving people or goods?
• How can the product or service affect or impact the means by which people or goods move?

Some examples of Impacts

• The products promotion of local tourism can reduce long-distance travel, lowering emissions.