Method and means for calculation of ecological cost of products

摘要

A computer controlled process is provided for quantifying the consumption of ecological capital in producing any predetermined product. The consumption of ecological capital is determined by whether or not the substances used in the manufacturing of that product satisfies three (or four) conditions of ecological sustainability (2) in respect of the production and use of that product. Ecological sustainability is determined by the satisfaction of three or four predetermined conditions which apply to the manufacture and use of all products. The process is computer controlled by an algorithm which ascertains the physical substances used (10) and incorporates the conditions of ecological sustainability (2, 3, 4). Additional steps (5, 6) permit the quantification of the ecological cost of the consumption of ecological capital. The process and the two associated databases of information are able to be stored and used in a distributed electronic manner with remote accessing of the second data base for the quantification of ecological cost.