Life cycle Mapping tool. For mapping operations

Transcription

1 Life cycle Mapping tool For mapping operations

2 This tool has been designed for use by all businesses and organisations wanting to map out and understand their operations, identify impacts and where they occur, and develop better, more targeted strategies for reducing these impacts. It is particularly useful for non-manufacturing businesses such as retailers, restaurants, educational institutions, health service providers etc. It is a simple, step by step life cycle mapping process that you can use in-house to map out all your operations, identifying key environmental impacts that you can influence (including along your supply chain), through to developing an action plan of effective strategies to reduce your organisation s impacts. It will help you understand the materials, energy and water flows, determine where the impacts occur, and make better decisions about strategies for reducing your environmental footprint. All boxes, grids and matrices are active, i.e. you can type directly into them. They can also be saved and printed. Step 1 Mapping your operations On an A3 sheet of paper or sheet of butchers paper, map out all the operations/activities that go on in your business - see the example for a restaurant. Use a highlight pen to highlight the areas which you feel are the key ones, and likely to have the biggest negative environmental impacts. Example: Mapping operations/activities Restaurant 2

3 Step 2 - Life cycle mapping Draw a life cycle map showing the main stages/parts for each of the operations identified in Step 1, i.e. the ones you highlighted as key. See the example restaurant map for preparing a meal. You may need to do a little research here. Note some of the stages will occur outside your gate i.e. along your supply chain. Note also that some activities, such as cleaning, will be repeated in different maps. When you have completed the maps use a highlight pen to highlight the stages where you think the biggest environmental impacts occur see example. Example: Life cycle map Cooking/preparing a meal 3

4 Step 3 - Identifying key environmental impacts Use the information from your map to complete the life cycle impacts matrix by thinking about the environmental impacts that may occur at each stage in the delivery of your service note some of these will be completely outside your influence, but it is important to be aware of them. This may require some additional research on your part, for example you may need to research the environmental impacts associated with sourcing and processing of raw materials, eg metals, plastics or timber used in the products you purchase to deliver your service, such as stationary and computers. (See the two restaurant examples: Produce-red meat and Appliances) It is important to try to complete the impact matrices for all activities identified in your map, remembering that some will be repeated. If you find the task is too great, then only focus on the highlighted areas in your maps. When completed, use a highlight pen to identify the KEY impacts and another colour to highlight the ones that you CAN influence directly or indirectly. Example 1: Environmental impact matrix - red meat Stage of life cycle Input of materials Potentially Hazardous materials Energy Use Water use Emissions Solid waste Raw Materials Feed Stocks Chemicals Health Hormones Chemicals Farm machinery Large water Methane GHG Machinery (fossil fuels) Containers Manure Manufacture/ Processing Equipment (abattoir) Packaging Chemicals Refrigeration Transport Lighting Equipment Staff Cleaning Slaughter GHG NOX and SOX Effluent Fat, bones, skins Packaging Sale & Distribution Fuels transport Packaging material Labour Transport Refrigeration Storage GHG Packaging Use End of Life/ wastes Ingredients Labour Kitchen equipment Café equipment Chemicals Refrigerants Cooking Lighting Gas Labour Storage/ refrigeration Cooking Cleaning GHG Liquid wastes Food waste Packaging Food waste Overeating Spoilage Uneaten Takeaway packaging Key impacts Able to influence directly or indirectly 4

5 Example 2: Environmental impact matrix - cooking appliances Stage of life cycle Raw Materials Manufacture/ Processing Input of materials Mining and processing of metals (including precious metals for circuit boards) Plastics Metals, plastics used to manufacture Potentially Hazardous materials Chemicals used in recovery and refining of some metals Mine wastes, slurries and overburdens Hazardous materials for circuit boards Chemicals Energy Use Water use Emissions Solid waste Heavy machinery Transport Embodied energy High energy use in processing Heavy water use for recovery of some metals Water used in GHG Other pollutants Exhaust manufacturers GHG Mine wastes Packaging Sale & Distribution Transport Transport Use Using appliance Using appliance GHG End of Life/ wastes Landfill Gas from fridges Tipping refuse Recycle - scrap Key impacts Able to influence directly or indirectly 5

6 Environmental impact matrix Stage of life cycle Input of materials Potentially Hazardous materials Energy Use Water use Emissions Solid waste Raw Materials Manufacture/ Processing Sale & Distribution Use End of Life/ wastes 6

7 Step 4 - Developing strategies to reduce environmental impacts You now need to think about possible ways of reducing these impacts. Complete the strategies table for the key impacts that you identified in your life cycle matrices as ones that you can influence directly or indirectly i.e. the ones you highlighted. You may need to do some research here, or seek some external advice to help identify strategies, especially as some of the key impacts may be in your supply chain and therefore difficult to influence. You may also think of further work required before strategies can be adopted, e.g. more research, costings, availability of resources and expertise etc. When you have finished, number the strategies, see example these will be used in Step 5. Note similar strategies should be given the same number eg purchasing decisions based on energy, water and durability can be numbered the same. Example 1: Mitigating strategies red meat Impact Strategy Further work needed GHG emissions Purchasing - where from/locations o locally bred/processed 1. o Organic 2. o kangaroo meat instead of beef 3. o pork or chicken instead of beef 3. Supplier chain matrix/ questionnaire MLA Preferred supplier/areas Investigate breed/growing techniques Packaging Identify current packaging and alternatives 4. Refocus on alternatives i.e, use buckets not cardboard 5. Energy use Replace lighting with energy efficient 6. Investigate alternatives to refrigeration eg vac packaging/freeze/fresh 7. Purchasing energy efficient cooking appliances 8. Investigate alternatives equipment/cooking processes/more sharing of ovens 9 Water use Understand supplier/farmers use 10. Purchase alternatives eg kangaroo 3. Water efficiency measures 11. Back to supplier Recycling Star rating of compressors? Delivery/storage processes small & large amounts Re-evaluate equipment induction hotplates Cleaning processes Evaluate - external provider - internal arrangement Transport (fuel) Purchasing arrangements buying local 1. Assess - Animal purchasing requirements for specific paddock to the plate Chemicals Hormone free aim to purchase 2. Use less chemicals in cleaning 12. Cleaners and contract/standards/specified 13. Waste Forecast for planned purchasing 14. More efficient processes 15. Stock control management 16. Audit % Yield wastage 17. Land clearing Purchase kangaroo or other alternative 3. Suppliers chain Biodegradable Organic chemicals 2nd bite/fairshare Breakdown of offcuts/bones Portion control 7

8 Example 2: Mitigating strategies Cooking appliances Impact Strategy Further work needed GHG emissions Purchasing look at specific criteria 1. Purchase products with highest energy rating (number of stars) 1. Criteria to be developed Materials efficiency Purchase appliances manufactured from sustainably sourced materials and/or with recycled content 1. Packaging Ensure appliance packaging is recycled 2. Back to supplier Recycling Energy use Purchase products with highest energy rating (number of stars) 1. Conduct energy audit 5. Water use Seek information on the efficiencies of equipment and manufacturers 1. Purchase products with highest water rating (number of stars) 1. Conduct water audit 5. Transport (fuel) Purchase locally 1. Data collection Develop data Chemicals Use cleaning and other chemicals with low env impacts 3. Waste Select appliances for durability and long life 1. Select appliances with recycled content 1. Land clearing Select appliances for durability and long life 1. Only replace when necessary 4. 8

9 Mitigating strategies Impact Strategy Further work needed GHG emissions Materials efficiency Packaging Energy use Water use Transport (fuel) Chemicals Waste Land clearing 9

10 Step 5 - Selecting most effective strategies Once you have completed any further work identified in Step 4, such as the research on the strategies, the next stage is to identify the best strategies to action in terms of gaining the maximum environmental return for least effort (cost, resources, time etc). You can do this by plotting your strategies on the value versus effort grid. If you haven t already done so, number the strategies in Strategies for reducing impacts grid in Step 4. Print the Value versus Effort Grid, then plot the numbers (i.e. strategy) on the grid by firstly asking: what is the environmental return (high, medium or low)? Then asking: what is the effort required in terms of costs, resources and time, is it going to be low, medium or high? Now plot the number for that strategy on the grid where the two intersect i.e. within one of the quadrants (See Red meat and Cooking appliances examples). Example 1: Value versus Effort Grid - red meat ENVIRONMENTAL RETURN Low Medium High Evaluate and Action Divide and Conquer Easy Wins Park 17 Low Medium High EFFORT 16 10

11 Example 2: Value versus Effort Grid - cooking appliances ENVIRONMENTAL RETURN Low Medium High Evaluate and Action Divide and Conquer Easy Wins Park 5 Low Medium High Matrix definitions EFFORT (Cost, resources, time) Easy Wins - these will require minimal effort and can be actioned immediately; others will require assessment as the effort required could outweigh the environmental value gained Evaluate and Action - these will need to be evaluated and assigned resources and responsibility in order to be actioned as the return is high with medium effort. Divide and Conquer - these initiatives require dividing into manageable portions, which can be placed into either Evaluate and Action or Park Park - don t proceed with these. However they may be actioned later, when more resources are available. 11

12 Value versus Effort Grid ENVIRONMENTAL RETURN Low Medium High Evaluate and Action Divide and Conquer Easy Wins Park Low Medium High EFFORT (Cost, resources, time) 12

13 Step 6 - Developing SMART action plans The value versus effort grid will help you to prioritise your strategies based on the amount of effort required (cost, resources, time) and value gained (environmental return). You now need to select those strategies that will be actioned immediately by completing the Actioning matrix below and develop your SMART 1 action plan. Note, there may be crossovers in strategies, meaning you combine these as one strategy. 1. The strategies plotted in the Easy Wins quadrant may be done depending on the amount of effort required. Those with more effort and very low return may not be done. Some of these strategies could involve conducting audits and as such, although having no environmental return, they are essential for other strategies and establishing a baseline, so these should be done. Add the ones you intend to action into the Actioning matrix. 2. All the strategies plotted in the Evaluate and Action quadrant will probably be actioned after they have been evaluated. Note, you may also decide to action those that are close to the line in the Divide and Conquer quadrant. Add all of these to the Actioning matrix. 3. The strategies in Divide and Conquer, as the name suggests may be split into more manageable components and done immediately or left to do later. Add the ones you will action into the Actioning matrix. 4. Those in Park quadrant will not be actioned first time round because the return is low for the effort involved However they may be done at a later stage, as resources become available. Actioning matrix Strategy (include number) Impact/s they will address Action plan: what, when, who (your action plans should include steps for continuous improvement) When you have completed the Actioning matrix for all the priority strategies, you can use highlight pens to further categorise such as: - those that you will do first - those that involve audits or monitoring - those that may have already been partially actioned SMART - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely.

14 Step 7 - Implementation Now you are ready to implement the strategies that you have determined are the most appropriate and cost effective for minimising your environmental impacts. Because good business practice requires that all changes to business and operational processes should be measured for effectiveness and success, consider doing some auditing and/or monitoring to set some baselines. If expertise is not available in-house, you may need to engage an external organisation/s to conduct audits or install monitoring equipment. Step 8 - Evaluation and continuous improvement Effective change involves evaluation and continuous improvement. To achieve this you need to measure improvements against your baselines, and make any necessary changes to your strategies. Remember you have parked some strategies, some of these could be re-assessed and perhaps implemented as part of your continuous improvement plan. The Gordon (TAFE) Case Study explains the workings of the Life Cycle Mapping Tool for a non manufacturing organisation. The benefits of mapping the organisation while identifying their sphere of influence in the sector s supply chain and geographic location is covered. The Gordon (TAFE) said the mapping was:...a cutting edge concept at the forefront of sustainable design which goes beyond basic actions and identifies behaviour change across external factors, tracing methods as far back as raw materials. The Gordon Culinary School Case Study 14

15 Good luck implementing your strategies We hope our Life cycle mapping tool has helped you to better understand the life cycle of your products or services, and to build a solid framework on which to embed sustainability across your organisation. You can help us to refine this tool to make it more useful for businesses and organisations like your own by taking a couple of minutes to complete the survey - click here. For more information on life cycle thinking and life cycle management please contact: Kel.dummett@sustainability.vic.gov.au John.polhill@sustainability.vic.gov.au or visit Life Cycle Mapping tool 2 Sustainability Victoria 2011 While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure that the contents of this publication are factually correct, Sustainability Victoria gives no warranty regarding its accuracy, completeness, currency or suitability for any particular purpose and to the extent permitted by law, does not accept any liability for loss or damages incurred as a result of reliance placed upon the content of this publication. This publication is provided on the basis that all persons accessing it undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its content. Life Cycle Mapping Tool 2 excluding any Third Party quotes and/or references is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence. In essence, you are free to copy, distribute and adapt the work, as long as you attribute the work and abide by the other licence terms. To view a copy of this license, visit: 15 Published by Sustainability Victoria. Copyright Sustainability Victoria, December 2011 (PRO115)