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Life cycle assessment (LCA) is technique that is widely used by businesses, government, and civil society to quantify environmental impacts of products and processes from materials extraction to waste disposal (cradle-to-grave or even cradle-to-cradle). This course will provide a comprehensive introduction to LCA, an internationally recognized tool that is promoted by organizations such as the United Nations Environmental Program (through the Life Cycle Initiative). Studies employing this technique have uncovered surprising environmental findings, including the trade-offs between plastic and glass bottles, the upstream impacts of gasoline produced from the Canadian Oil Sands, and the hidden impacts of “zero emissions” vehicles. The classroom sessions will include in-depth discussions, exercises with and without software, and guest lectures to engage students with real-world LCA practice. The course has been structured for students to iteratively develop their own real-world LCA on a product of their choice throughout the semester. The technique enables in-depth comparative analyses which may be used to examine the environmental impacts of different products (e.g. dietary or energy choices) or even the influence of supply chain disruptions (e.g., related to COVID-19). While other products will be discussed, there will be an emphasis on energy technologies. This course can fulfill quantitative reasoning requirements. Pre-requisite: Students are strongly encouraged to already have or acquire basic spreadsheet skills in advance of this course. Contact the professor with questions about the course and the prerequisite. <a href="http://bit.ly/2D0n6mw" target="_blank">Click here to see a video introduction for the course.</a> <a href="http://bit.ly/1bebp5s" target="_blank">Click here to see evaluations, syllabi, and faculty bios</a>