Carbon Footprint and Related Production Costs of System Components for a Field-Grown Viburnum × juddi Using Life Cycle Assessment

Abstract

Life cycle assessment was used to analyze the global warming potential (GWP) and variable costs of input materials, equipment use and labor of a model system for field production of a balled and burlapped, 0.9 m (36 in) Judd viburnum (Viburnum × juddi Rehder) shrub in the lower Midwest. The model system was defined using information obtained through interviews with nursery managers in the region. The propagation-to-gate GWP of the shrub was determined to be 0.705 kg CO2 equivalent (CO2e), after subtracting 0.916 kg CO2e, the weighted impact of carbon sequestered during production. Estimates for propagation-to-landscape GWP (3.156 kg CO2e) and variable costs ($9.19) were also calculated for the model. Material inputs during field production contributed 1.063 kg CO2e to the propagation-to-gate GWP and $0.89 of the variable costs while equipment use contributed 0.558 kg CO2e and $0.32 to variable costs.