1. Climate change, land, materials and products: new reports from EPA and the Product Policy Institute GRRN Recycling and Zero Waste Conference October 19, 2009 Joshuah K. Stolaroff, former AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellow, OSWER Center for Program Analysis, EPA contact at josh@rationalcontemporary.com

2. 2 Introduction There is broad, global agreement that the climate is changing and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions must be reduced. Administration target: 83% by 2050

3. 3 How will the cuts be achieved? cap and trade appliance energy efficiency standards renewable electricity mandates carbon capture and storage (CCS) incentives building energy use codes corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards emissions control technology mandates materials management? land management?

4. 4 Materials management design for environment green design industrial ecology sustainable consumption energy efficiency Prevention-oriented approaches… … tend to reduce emissions at low cost and with environmental co-benefits (compared to end-of-pipe controls), but are harder to understand and quantify. Land management smart growth

5. 5 U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Economic Sectors View Source: U.S. Inventory of GHG Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006. U.S. EPA, 2008. Excludes U.S. territories.

6. 6 U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Economic Sectors View helpful for framing end-of- pipe and sector-wide mitigation strategies. This view shows the point where GHG’s are emitted. Indicates that by controlling emissions from transportation and electric power, the majority of emissions are addressed.

7. 7 This figure reflects the same GHG emissions data shown in Figure 1, using a systems-based approach, as described in Appendix A. Emissions from U.S. Territories are not included in this figure. U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Systems View

8. 8 Figure 2 Systems-Based View of U.S. GHG Emissions (2006)‏ This figure reflects the same GHG emissions data shown in Figure 1, using a systems-based approach, as described in Appendix A. Emissions from U.S. Territories are not included in this figure. U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Systems View This view organizes emissions by systems, where we define a “system” as all the parts of the economy working to fulfill a particular need. helpful for framing prevention-oriented mitigation strategies that reduce emissions system-wide.

9. 9 U.S. GHG Emissions (2006): Systems View

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12. 12 Technical Potential Reductions from Materials Management 150 MMTCO2e/yrCapture for electricity generation all landfill methane 66-113 MMTCO2e/yrCombust MSW remaining with 50% recycling rate 70-120 MMTCO2e/yr Combust for electricity generation all currently landfilled MSW Energy Recovery/Disposal 20 MMTCO2e/yrCompost all food scraps 300 MMTCO2e/yr Increase national MSW recycling and composting rate from 32.5% to 100% 150 MMTCO2e/yrRecycle all construction materials Reuse/Recycling 25 MMTCO2e/yrExtend the life of personal computers by 50% 20–70 MMTCO2e/yrReduce use of non-packaging paper products by 50% 40-105 MMTCO2e/yrReduce packaging use by 50% Source reduction Note: Total U.S. 2006 Emissions = 7054 MMTCO2e

13. 13  42% of US greenhouse gas emissions are associated with materials management.  16-20% of US greenhouse gas emissions, plus the 13% land sink are influenced by land management.  Including impacts from international trade increases the share from materials/products.  Many materials and land management strategies have comparable mitigation potential to better-known options.  Systems/life-cycle thinking are necessary to evaluate and apply materials and land management options.  Consumption-based accounting puts more opportunities on the table to reduce emissions  Materials and land management strategies have co-benefits for communities and are under state & local influence.  Materials and land management should be included in the response to climate change. Summary