Many everyday products (from cars to books, refrigerators to hamburger packaging) can be tracked from start to finish through ‘life-cycle analysis’. This helps manufacturers improve the materials and processes they use to make goods more environmentally friendly, and lets consumers see where they fit into the picture.

Compact discs originated in the United States, where music lover and scientist James T. Russell invented the first in his home in 1965.

Tired of the wear and tear on his vinyl phonograph records, he devised his system to read massive amounts of information without the use of moving parts.