Towards eco-efficiency with LCA’s prevention principle: an epistemological foundation of LCA using axioms

Abstract

Consider the eco-chair: a chair of truly eco-efficient qualities, all materials are recyclable at a high quality level, all wood is sustainably harvested, all emissions stay well below ecological thresholds, etc. If, by even more sophisticated design and process management, all resource use and all emissions could be reduced by a factor of 2, what would happen to the eco-efficiency of the chair? Would it increase by a factor of 2, or would it remain infinitely high?