The Life Cycle Initiative is producing several e-learning modules that address life cycle thinking and approaches from different perspectives and in various levels of depth. These set of modules contain the following sessions:
1. Introduction to Life Cycle Thinking (LCT), (available in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic): This module aims to provide an overview of life cycle approaches and how to assess the impacts of any given sustainability issue considering all of its life cycle stages. It is intended as a guide to which kind of LCT tools are to be used to which purpose. The module is made up of four parts: (1) an overarching introduction to life cycle thinking, along with its applications for (2) public policies, (3) businesses, and (4) consumers.
2. Life Cycle Thinking in business decision making (available in English and Spanish): This module gives an overview of how to use LCT within businesses, including impacts that extend beyond their direct control. The module introduces case studies of how life cycle thinking has been applied by businesses globally and provides an understanding of various LCT tools as well as when and how to apply them. This module is made up of six parts: (1) concepts in life cycle thinking, (2) life cycle thinking in product design, (3) life cycle thinking in value chain assessment, (4) life cycle thinking by industry associations, (5) product environmental footprints and eco-labels, and (6) life cycle thinking in the future.
3. Life Cycle Thinking in policy making (available in English and Spanish): This module gives an overview of how life cycle thinking can be used within policy making, including how it can help weigh up the impacts of individual policy choices on a whole system. The module is illustrated with case studies on policies from the transport, waste, and food and agriculture sectors. This module is made up of five parts: (1) life cycle thinking and policy makers, (2) life cycle thinking in transport policy, (3) life cycle thinking in waste policy, (4) life cycle thinking in agriculture and food policy, and (5) life cycle thinking in the future.