Environmental and ethical considerations in product design

Product Analysis & Evaluation – Environmental & Ethical Considerations

In the IGCSE Design & Technology curriculum, you’ll often need to assess how a product affects the planet and people. Think of it as checking the health of a plant: you look at the soil (materials), the water (energy use), and the gardener (workers). This guide will walk you through the key ideas, give you handy examples, and share exam‑friendly tips. 🌱

Key Concepts

  • Environmental Impact: How much energy, water, and resources a product uses from start to finish.
  • Ethical Impact: Fair wages, safe working conditions, and respect for communities.
  • Life‑Cycle Assessment (LCA): A step‑by‑step look at a product’s life: raw material extraction → manufacturing → use → disposal.
  • Sustainable Materials: Recycled, biodegradable, or low‑impact alternatives (e.g., bamboo, recycled PET).
  • Fair Trade & Supply Chain: Ensuring suppliers follow ethical standards and avoid child labour.
  • Carbon Footprint: Total CO₂e emissions. Example formula: $CO₂ = fuel \times emission\_factor$

Analogy: Designing a Product is Like Planning a Garden

• Seeds (Materials) – Choose strong, healthy seeds (high‑quality, low‑impact materials). • Soil (Manufacturing Process) – Rich, well‑tended soil (efficient, low‑waste production). • Water & Sunlight (Energy Use) – Use just enough water and sunlight (energy) to grow. • Weeds & Pests (Ethical Issues) – Remove weeds (unfair labour) and protect plants (worker safety). • Harvest (Product Use) – Harvest at the right time (product lifespan). • Compost (Disposal) – Compost the plant (recycling, biodegradation).
🌻 When you plan each step carefully, the garden (product) thrives sustainably.

Evaluation Criteria Table

Criteria What to Look For Good Example Poor Example
Environmental Impact Low energy use, recyclable materials, minimal waste. Reusable water bottle made from recycled PET. Single‑use plastic bottle.
Ethical Impact Fair wages, safe working conditions, no child labour. Fair‑trade certified coffee beans. Coffee from a factory with poor safety records.
Cost & Value Affordable yet durable; long‑term savings. Durable stainless‑steel lunchbox. Cheap plastic lunchbox that breaks after one use.
Functionality Meets user needs efficiently. Smartphone case with built‑in wallet. Case that is too bulky and heavy.

Case Study: Reusable Water Bottle

Product: 500 ml reusable water bottle (stainless steel, 10 kg CO₂e per unit).
Environmental Analysis:

  • Manufacturing: 10 kg CO₂e (mostly from steel production).
  • Use: 0 kg CO₂e (no fuel needed).
  • End‑of‑life: 0 kg CO₂e (recyclable).
  • Total life‑cycle: 10 kg CO₂e.
Ethical Analysis:
  • Supplier follows Fair Trade guidelines.
  • Workers receive living wages and safe conditions.
Conclusion: Good environmental and ethical score; high upfront cost but low long‑term impact.

Exam Tips – Quick Checklist

  • Read the question carefully – look for keywords like environmental or ethical.
  • Use the Evaluation Criteria Table as a reference – it helps structure your answer.
  • Include at least one quantitative example (e.g., CO₂e, energy consumption).
  • Use analogy or real‑world example to show understanding.
  • Keep sentences clear and concise – avoid long paragraphs.
  • Check your spelling and grammar – a tidy answer looks more professional.

Quick Thought Exercise

Think of a product you use daily. Write down:

  1. What materials are used?
  2. How is it produced?
  3. What is its environmental impact?
  4. What ethical considerations might exist?
This will help you practice the analysis process for your exam.

Revision

Log in to practice.

0 views 0 suggestions