True green building design looks at all products not merely in terms of their green attributes, but the sum of the attributes through a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and environmental impact. LCA is an objective process used in the evaluation of the environmental burdens associated with a product, process or activity through the identification and quantification of energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment. The assessment includes the entire life cycle of the product, process or activity, encompassing the extraction and processing of raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and distribution, use/reuse/maintenance, recycling and final disposal.