Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, review the following resources:

• Life-Cycle Assessment (Links to an external site.)

• Life Cycle Analysis (Links to an external site.)

• Waste Generation and Management Sustainability (Links to an external site.)

• At a Glance: A Global Picture of Solid Waste Management (Links to an external site.)

• Mortality and Morbidity in Populations in the Vicinity of Coal Mining: A Systematic

Review (Links to an external site.)

• Deforestation and Forest Degradation Due to Gold Mining in the Peruvian Amazon: A

34-Year Perspective (Links to an external site.)

• Global Waste to Grow 70% by 2050 Unless Action Is Taken (Links to an external site.)

For this week’s engagement activity, you will complete the first step of a life cycle analysis by

identifying all the inputs and outputs needed to produce one standard number 2 pencil.

Reflect on all of the steps needed to produce each part of the pencil, including the wood, lead,

paint, eraser, and metal eraser cup. If you need help, return to the Life-Cycle Assessment video

to review how we determined the inputs and outputs for a paperclip.

• List and briefly explain all the inputs and outputs in the discussion board below needed

to produce the pencil.

• Explain the environmental effects from mining one resource that is needed to make the

pencil.