The availability of ecosystem services is essential for sustaining all activities on Earth. Compare the methods of emergy (ECEC) analysis, life cycle assessment, and water footprint analysis by answering the following questions. You may benefit from referring to earlier chapters on each of these methods.

1. Consider the ability to account for the role of ecosystem services in the life cycle. Which ecosystem service is each method able to account for? 

2. Summarize the approach each method uses to account for ecosystem services, and discuss its pros and cons. 

3. Does each method account for the carrying capacity of ecosystems? What are the pros and cons of each approach? 

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Table 15.12 Inventory for polyethylene terephthalate life cycle. Unit volume (oz.) grams Parameter Functional unit Monomer (PET resin prod. - RNA)a Electricity consumption (US grid, 2010) Truck transportation (single unit truck, diesel) - RNA" Train transportation (Diesel) - RNA Cost mj ton km ton miles $ Quantity 12 18 0.1 3.5 1.2 1.50