Sustainable Design and Social Responsibility - Sustainable Design: The Science of Sustainability and Green Engineering - page 214

salmon can cause millions of dollars in economic damage. A low toxicity
would be at high concentrations (

100 ppm). A high toxicity would be at
concentrations on the ppb or ppt scale.

>

Certainly, green design considers more than toxicity. So other alternatives
for recycling and reuse, avoiding consumer misuse, and disassembly can also be
compared with multiple objective plots. The best of these can be considered the
benchmark, which is a type of index that conveniently displays numerous factors
with appropriate weightings.
Another way to visualize such complex data is the decision matrix. The ma-
trix helps the designer to ensure that all of the right factors are considered in
the design phase and that these factors are properly implemented and moni-
tored throughout the project. Integrated engineering approaches require that

Figure 5.8 Example of an
integrated engineering matrix: in
this instance, applied to
sustainable designs.
From American Society of Mechanical
Engineers,
http://www.professionalpractice.asme.
org/communications/sustainability/2.
htm, accessed May 25, 2006).

Secondary
proccessing/
manufacturing

Initial
production

Consumer
use

Reuse/
recycle

Packing Transportation Disposal Summary

Local air
impacts
Water
impacts
Soil
impacts
Ocean
impacts
Atmosphere
impacts
Waste
impacts

Resource
consumption

Ancillary
impacts
Significant
externalities

Legend:

Potential importance
(ca. 1990)

Assessment reliability
(ca. 1990)

some moderate

low

moderate

major controlling high