http://informinc.libsyn.com Ever wonder what happens when we toss old cell phones in the trash? Take the paper we read in the morning, and the jeans and t-shirts we wear. Have you ever considered what impacts these products have on the environment, from beginning to end? INFORMâs Secret Life Series is a podcast that highlights the environmental impacts of everyday products we all use. en Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License. mclellan@informinc.org Liberated Syndication - libsyn.com podcasts@libsyn.com (Liberated Syndication) Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:29:00 GMT 180 the secret life of your stuff... Ever wonder what happens when we toss old cell phones in the trash? Take the paper we read in the morning, and the jeans and t-shirts we wear. Have you ever considered what impacts these products have on the environment, from beginning to end? INFORMâs Secret Life Series is a collection of videos that highlight the environmental impacts of everyday products we all use. What is a productâs âlife cycleâ? When we talk about the environmental impacts of products, we like to speak in terms of a productâs âlife cycle,â which include all phases in a productâs life, from raw material extraction all the way to its end-of-life management. Every phase of this life cycle has potential impacts on the environment. Consider this: during the extraction phase, raw materials must be extracted from the earth and refined before they go to the factories where products are made. The manufacturing phase uses energy and creates pollution. Transportation between each phase generates more negative impacts on the environment from the burning of fossil fuels. During the productâs use phase, it might require energy, use more natural resources and create more pollution. When the product reaches the end of its useful life, a choice is made either to recycle it and put it back into use (creating a circular pattern of use) or toss it in the trash (a linear pattern of use). Choices are made all along this chain, and understanding what those choices are is critical if we are to protect our environment and our health. waste e-waste recycling recycle sustainability consumer environment INFORM, Inc. mclellan@informinc.org INFORM, Inc. http://libsyn.com/podcasts/informinc/images/secretlife--podcast-logo.jpg http://informinc.libsyn.com Clean http://informinc.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=302804#
For background information on the series, additional information not covered in the video and actions you can take - please go to secret-life.org.

INFORM, Inc is a 34 year old non profit working on sustainability, waste prevention and toxic reduction.
]]> podcasts Fri, 1 Feb 2008 22:29:00 GMT http://informinc.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=302804# INFORM, Inc. No http://informinc.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=302782# podcasts Fri, 1 Feb 2008 21:17:18 GMT http://informinc.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=302782# support@libsyn.com No