Maria Enroth
Clara Borggren
Åsa Moberg

Title

Klimatpåverkan från konceptet Klimatsmart pocket

Published in

Rapport från KTH Centre for Sustainable Communications, Stockholm.
ISSN:1654-479X
TRITA-SUS 2011:2

Sammanfattning

Idén med konceptet Klimatsmart pocket är att producera pocketböcker utgivna inom varumärkena Bonnier Pocket och Månpocket på ett sådant sätt att miljöhänsyn tas vid val av produktutformning, material, processteg och leverantörer. Särskilt viktigt har varit att välja miljöanpassade papper med låg klimatpåverkan för produktionen. Miljöpåverkan från Klimatsmart pocket har kvantifierats genom beräkning av klimatpåverkan baserat på en typproduktion. Denna beräkning presenteras i föreliggande studie.

Beräkningen av klimatpåverkan har i princip utförts i enlighet med rekommendationer för beräkningar av klimatgasutsläpp från den europeiska branschorganisationen Intergraf (Intergraf 2010) och den internationella standarden GHG protocol (WBCSD och WRI, 2004). Även intentioner i den brittiska standarden PAS 2050:2008 (BSI 2008) har följts i möjligaste mån.

Den studerade pocketboken är en typprodukt med 320 sidor (0,17 kg/ex). Studien är en ”cradle to gate” analys (”vagga till grind” analys) vilket i detta fall innebär att produktens belastning från råvaruuttag till bokhandel har inkluderats. De livscykelsteg som har inkluderats i beräkningen är följande: skogsbruk, massa- och pappersproduktion, transport av skogsråvara och massa, transport av papper från pappersbruk till tryckeri, redaktionellt arbete, tryckning och efterbehandling samt distribution av produkt till bokhandel.

Total klimatpåverkan för den aktuella produktionen har beräknats till 1960 kg CO₂ekvivalenter. Detta innebär ett utsläpp av 0,73 kg CO₂ekvivalenter/kg produkt eller 0,12 kg CO₂ekvivalenter/pocketbok. Nyckeltalet 0,73 kg CO₂ekvivalenter/kg produkt kan användas för uppskattning av klimatpåverkan från andra produktioner av Klimatsmart pocket förutsatt att pappersval och produktionsförhållanden är desamma.

Klimatpåverkan från Klimatsmart pocket kan jämföras med uppgifter om utsläpp av klimatgaser motsvarande 0,70-9,5 kg CO₂ekv/kg produkt för olika typer av tryckta produkter (Enroth 2010, Moberg 2010, Pihkola et al 2010). Dessa jämförande data gäller förutom olika typer av produkter även olika trycktekniker, något olika systemgränser samt produktion i olika delar av världen. Klimatpåverkan från föreliggande produktion, 0,73 kg CO₂ekv/kg produkt, är förhållandevis låg även om det inte är direkt jämförbara studier. Detta beror till stor del på produkttypen samt på val av papper med låg klimatpåverkan från miljöanpassade produktionsställen.

För den studerade pocketproduktionen är det papper inklusive skogsbruk och massaproduktion (39%), distribution av produkt till bokhandel (20%) samt tryckning och efterbehandling (15%) som bidrar mest till klimatpåverkan.

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Moberg, Åsa
Borggren, Clara
Finnveden, Göran

Title

Books from an environmental perspective – Part 2: e-books as an alternative to paper books

Published in

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 16, 238-246, (2011), doi:10.1007/s11367-011-0255-0

Abstract

Purpose

Information and communication technology (ICT) has been proposed as a means to facilitate environmental sustainability. Dematerialisation is one potential way of doing this. For books, this could be realized through using e-book readers, which share many of the qualities of printed media and have notably low-energy requirements during use. The main aim of this study was to analyse the environmental impacts of an e-book read on an e-book reader, and to identify key issues determining the magnitude of the impact. A second aim was to compare the e-book product system with a paper book product system using a life cycle perspective.

Materials and methods

A screening LCA was performed on an e-book produced and read in Sweden. The e-book reader was assumed to be produced in China. The data used were general data from Ecoinvent 2.0 and site-specific data from companies participating in the study, whenever average data were not available.

Results and discussion

The results showed that production of the e-book reader was the life cycle step contributing most to the environmental impact of the system studied, although data on the e-ink screen were lacking. The disposal phase leads to avoided impact as materials are recycled; however, these results are less certain due to limited data availability. When the e-book was compared with a paper book, the results indicated that the number of books read on the e-book reader during its lifetime was crucial when evaluating its environmental performance compared with paper books. The results indicate that there are impact categories and circumstances where paper books are preferable to e-books from an environmental perspective and vice versa.

Conclusions

There is no single answer as to which book is better from an environmental perspective according to the results of the current study. To improve the e-book environmental performance, an e-book reader should be used frequently, the life time of the device should be prolonged, as far as possible, and when not in use anymore, the device should be disposed of in a proper way, making material recycling possible. In addition, the production of the e-reader should be energy efficient and striving towards minimisation of toxic and rare substances.

Borggren, Clara
Moberg, Åsa
Finnveden, Göran

Title

Books from an environmental perspective – Part 1: environmental impacts of paper books sold in traditional and internet bookshops

Published in

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment 16, 138-147 (2011), doi:10.1007/s11367-011-0254-1

Abstract

Purpose

The sale and distribution of books are activities that have changed through increased use of the internet. The main aim of this paper was to determine the potential environmental impacts of paper books and identify key issues determining the magnitude of those impacts. A second aim was to study the environmental difference between a paper book bought in a traditional bookshop and through an internet bookshop. In addition, areas with a lack of data and major uncertainties were to be noted.

Materials and methods

A screening life cycle assessment was performed on an average hardback novel produced and read in Sweden. The data used were general data from Ecoinvent 2.0 and site-specific data from companies participating in the study, whenever average data were not available.

Results and discussion

The results showed the most important processes to be pulp and paper production. However, if a substantial distance was travelled by car, to buy a book or collect it, this had a major influence on the environmental performance. Comparing the two bookshop alternatives, the results showed a slight benefit for the internet bookshop due to fewer books being returned to the publisher and the avoidance of energy use at the traditional bookshop. The buyer of a book could significantly influence the total impact by choosing to walk to the bookshop or to combine the trip with several other activities to decrease the impact of the travel per activity performed. When books ordered via the internet were sent by postal services directly to the end consumer, the climate change impact was lowered.

Conclusions

This study showed that, in addition to the paper used, the way books are bought and distributed, including possible personal transportation, can significantly affect the total environmental impact of paper books. The impact per book read can be significantly decreased by sharing books with others.

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Moberg, Åsa
Borggren, Clara
Finnveden, Göran
Tyskeng, Sara

Title

Environmental impacts of electronic invoicing

Published in

Progress in Industrial Ecology 7, 93-113 (2010), doi: 10.1504/PIE.2010.036044

Abstract

Climate change threatens ecosystems and health and may cause severe economic impacts. All sectors of society need to act. New solutions based on information and communication technology (ICT) have been proposed to enable action. One possible conversion is from paper invoices to electronic invoices. The aim of this article is to increase current knowledge about the advantages and disadvantages of a possible total transition from all paper invoicing to all electronic invoicing in Sweden regarding cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. A screening life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed as a life cycle perspective should preferably be used when considering environmental impacts of products. The results of the study show that there are benefits from transition to electronic invoices regarding cumulative energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions. The magnitude of the benefits is mainly dependent on the amount of paper used for the traditional invoices and whether the electronic invoices are printed.

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Räsänen, Minna
Moberg, Åsa
Picha, Malin
Borggren, Clara

Title

Meeting at a distance: Experiences of media companies in Sweden

Published in

Technology in Society 32, 264-273, (2010), doi:10.1016/j.techsoc.2010.10.002

Abstract

Solutions based on information and communication technology (ICT) have been put forward as a possible means to decrease greenhouse gases, e.g. through replacing travel. However, their success depends on how the ICT solutions are implemented and put into practice. This study sought to identify and discuss conditions for business meetings at a distance. Practices that facilitate and those that prevent meeting at a distance were examined in four Swedish media companies. Time and financial savings were identified as the main forces driving companies and individuals to consider meeting at a distance. Appropriate technology, infrastructure and confidence in using and handling the equipment were also necessary for meeting at a distance. Environmental considerations within the companies appeared to be a side-effect rather than a direct driver. Understanding such conditions is crucial in striving for change. It is suggested that companies consider the everyday practices their employees are engaged in and reflect on the broader context within which these practices take place.

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Borggren, Clara & Moberg, Åsa

Title

Pappersbok och elektronisk bok på läsplatta – en jämförande miljöbedömning.

Published in

Report from the KTH Centre for Sustainable Communications, Stockholm.
ISSN:1654-479X
TRITA-SUS 2009:2

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Moberg, Å., Borggren, C., Finnveden, G. and Tyskeng, S.

Title

Effects of a total change from paper invoicing to electronic invoicing in Sweden. A screening life cycle assessment focusing on greenhouse gas emissions and cumulative energy demand.

Published in

Report from the KTH Centre for Sustainable Communications, Stockholm 2008.
TRITA-SUS 2008:3
ISSN:1654-479X

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