Project 1 &2

Question 1

a) What could be the motive to perform a study as in project 1? Describe a general aim to perform such a study.
b) Give examples of two objectives that could be answered in this project and motivate why they could be relevant
c) Mention the methods that you used in project 1 and motivate why these methods were relevant to use.
d) Who could be a relevant target group for the results of such a study and why, i.e. what could be the value for this actor?

Answer 1

a) What could be the motive to perform a study as in project 1? Describe a general aim to perform such a study. (2p)
svar:
- for a municipality to look at a scarce important metal and see the industrial metabolism of it

b) Give examples of two objectives that could be answered in this project and motivate why they could be relevant. (4p)
svar:
- What is the recycling rate for this material?
- Where are there losses in the system?
- How much of this material is imported? – how dependent are we om the import?

c) Mention the methods that you used in project 1 and motivate why these methods were relevant to use. (4p)
svar:
- MFA – tracking the material
- Indicators – emphasizing and clearly communicating the important part of the MFA and what to base the decisions on

d) Who could be a relevant target group for the results of such a study and why, i.e. what could be the value for this actor? (2p) 
svar:
-	Municipality
-	Government
-	Company

Question 2

a) What could be the motive to perform a study as in project 2? Describe a general aim to perform such a study.
b) Give examples of two objectives that could be answered in this project and motivate why they could be relevant.

Answer 2

a) What could be the motive to perform a study as in project 2? Describe a general aim to perform such a study. (2p)
svar:
To look at a new technology being invented/expanded and explore different scenarios of different kinds of use for that technology

b) Give examples of two objectives that could be answered in this project and motivate why they could be relevant. (4p)
svar:
- How much of this resource will be left in the reserves after 30 years of different demands?
- Will this tech lead to more toxicity in the ecosphere?

Question 3

Mention the methods that you used in project 2 and motivate why these methods were relevant to use.

Answer 3

Technology assessment – to use explorative scenarios and see how different kinds of use in society of a technology will impact the availability of a very important product.

Ethical analysis – to see the social problems surrounding the technology and different uses. Looking at the stakeholders and having a qualitative study for other perspectives on the results.

Question 4

Describe for project 2, 3 products: sustainability constrain, requirement for sustainable future and ethical benefits and challenges

Answer 4

Sand

• availability because of very high demand and a non-renewable limited resource.
• For sustainability in future society – need an alternative and international cooperation to limit the use of sand
• Ethical benefits and challenges – built up modern society with the cheap material, is ruining ecosystems and landslides causing people to lose their homes and islands

Synthetic rubber tires

• Emissions – production of fossil material
• For sustainability in future society – more natural rubber and less demand for cars = lower cars per capita
• Ethical benefits and challenges – benefits = transport for people, challenges = oil harming nature

Soybeans

• Land use – expansion of agricultural land, competing with other sources of food, plantation, and wildlife
• For sustainability in future society – more soy for humans directly instead of soy for animal feed
• Ethical benefits and challenges – cutting down the rainforest for agriculture, loss in biodiversity

Question 5

Possibilities and limitations of technology assessment as a methodology.

Answer 5

Technology assessment (TA) is good for exploring different scenarios and the urgency of different technologies to change. The method, however, has some uncertainties and limitations. For example, assumptions and generalizations are not uncommon when looking at a global system and total impact of that product. The scenarios are also limited by the parameters chosen and can therefore be used to prove a certain point and not always be objective. Lastly, when adding the ethical analysis, it becomes harder to assess the results of the TA. This is because the TA depends a lot on data for creating the scenarios and looking at the future trends based on the quantitative use of a product. But the ethical analysis is qualitative. It becomes hard therefor to compare the results and possibly weight them against each other, as ethical perspectives are harder to put a number on.

Question 6

Describe the main characteristics of the industrial metabolism of three materials that have been studied in project 1 in the course.

Answer 6

characteristics:
- small or big flow in society
- toxicity
- recyclability and recycling rate
- energy use
- increasing use

gallium

• small flow
• not very toxic, but small flow in nature so possibly harmful
• high recyclability, but no recycling
• high energy use in production
• increasing use

uranium

• medium flow in society
• very toxic
• not recyclable
• medium energy demanding
• use depend on country

aluminum

• big flow
• toxic to aquatic creatures
• high recyclability and high recycling rate - but should be higher
• very energy demanding to produce virgin aluminum
• increasing use