Materials and the environment: eco-informed material choice

1. Introduction -- Material Dependence 2. Resource Consumption and its Drivers 3. The Material Life Cycle 4. End of First Life -- A Problem or a Resource? 5. The Long Reach of Legislation 6. Eco-data -- Values, Sources, Precision 7. Eco-audits and Eco-audit Tools 8. Case Studies: Eco-audits 9. Material Selection Strategies 10. Eco-informed Materials Selection 11. Sustainability: Living Within Our Means 12. Materials for Low-Carbon Power 13. Material Efficiency 14. The Bigger Picture: Future Option 15. Material Profiles Appendix -- Useful Numbers and Conversions

Materials and the Environment, Third Edition, discusses the history of our increasing dependence on materials and energy. The book explains where materials come from and how they are used in a variety of industries, along with their lifecycle and relationship to energy and carbon. In addition, it covers the controls and economic instruments that hinder the use of engineering materials, considers sustainability from a materials perspective, and highlights the importance of low-carbon power and material efficiency. Further sections cover the mechanical, thermal and electrical properties of engineering metals, polymers, ceramics, composites and natural materials and their relationship to environmental issues. This book is intended for instructors and students of Engineering, Materials Science and Industrial/Product Design, as well as for materials engineers and product designers who need to consider the environmental implications of materials in their designs.