PhD: Quantifying the temporary climate mitigation impacts of biogenic carbon

To quantify the global consumer ownership of cotton apparel and home textile stocks and to evaluate the temporary climate mitigation benefits associated with this biogenic carbon in apparel, home textiles, and standing carbon stocks in the form of cotton bales using a dynamic life cycle assessment (LCA) model.  Additionally, any benefits of carbon storage will be related back to a traditional LCA approach and implemented to demonstrate unaccounted benefits in a cotton apparel life cycle assessment.  Identification of Plan of Work: In addition to biogenic carbon stored in cotton apparel and home textiles, this project will evaluate other stages of storage across the supply chain to determine significance and consideration in the model (Table 1). A lookback period will be evaluated to determine when polyester’s market share started to take over as a point of comparison in the past (anticipated to be 2000). Additionally, a forecast will be made for future biogenic carbon stocks associated with ownership and within other aspects of the supply chain.