Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (NUTR-0331)

Spring 2024 · NUTR 0331 · Tufts University · 3 credits · Undergraduate

Which protein source is more environmentally sustainable: chicken, tofu, or salmon? What processes in a food company’s supply chain should be targeted to reduce energy use and costs? How would shifting to nationally recommended diets impact the environment? These are a few examples of the myriad questions that can be addressed with life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is a tool in the field of industrial ecology that quantifies the resource use and emissions of a product or system along its entire life cycle, from raw material extraction to final disposal. A central objective of this method is informing evidence-based decision-making toward sustainability by policy makers, NGOs, companies, and individuals. This course covers the intellectual foundations of LCA and provides hands-on experience applying the tool, with a focus on topics, data sources, and methodological issues relevant to food and agriculture. Friedman students are strongly encouraged to take this course in their second year. Pre-requisites: NUTR 0233: Agricultural Science and Policy I and NUTR 0333: Agricultural Science and Policy II, or instructor consent.

Course codes: NUTR-0331, NUTR 0331, NUTR0331, NUTR-331, NUTR 331, NUTR331

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