Paper or plastic? Despite a recent plastic bag ban in Eugene, University of Oregon chemistry professor David Tyler questions the environmental impact basic consumer necessities have. @@http://www.uoregon.edu/findpeople/person/David*Tyler@@
Tyler specializes in a techniques called the “life cycle assessment,” a specific way of measuring a product’s environmental impact throughout its entire lifetime.
“A plastic bag is really good in terms of global warming impact, chemical use, water use, just all those environmental impacts we think about — a plastic bag is really good compared to other types of bags,” Tyler said in an interview with The Oregonian. “But where it’s really bad is it doesn’t degrade, so it’s easier for it to end up as litter.”
Tyler will be giving a lecture on the life cycle assessment during the OMSI Science Pub Night in Hillsboro, Ore. on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.
During his lecture, Tyler plans to talk about the life cycle of manufacturing beer as well as the impact pets have on the environment.