Can simply illustrated life cycle-based environmental information help promote Life Cycle Thinking?

This study, conducted in Japan, develops and tests a method to promote life cycle thinking (LCT) through clear, accessible information design. Simplified, comparable life cycle–based information was created for various everyday areas like transportation, food, and consumption behaviors. The information was organized to highlight key LCT aspects: how environmental impacts are distributed across different stages, the underlying mechanisms, and how these change under different conditions. A large survey experiment with 20,000 participants assessed its effectiveness. Respondents were divided into five topic groups and evaluated both before and after receiving the information, using 15 LCT literacy questions. Results showed significant improvements in LCT scores across all groups, with small but consistent effects. Gains were especially notable in items directly related to the provided information, while spillover effects indicated wider cognitive shifts. However, some declines in specific items suggest overcorrection, with attention shifting to newly emphasized life cycle stages. Further analysis showed that understanding, trust, and satisfaction are crucial factors influencing LCT improvement, and that effects differ across demographic and personality groups. Based on these insights, practical design principles for structuring LCT information—specifically, the use of illustration-based content incorporating the four components (a) to (d)—were developed, highlighting the importance of balanced life cycle visualization and scenario-based messaging. The study's novelty lies in combining large-scale experimental data with cognitive insights to understand how simplified LCT information reshapes understanding, and in turning these findings into concrete, evidence-based guidelines for effective environmental communication. • Simple, illustrated life cycle–based information significantly improves Life Cycle Thinking (LCT). • Nationwide pre–post surveys (N > 20,000) show consistent LCT gains across five consumption domains. • Understanding expands beyond provided content, indicating broader life cycle awareness. • Production-stage impacts are better learned than operation-stage impacts, revealing design challenges. • Trust and satisfaction with information strongly enhance learning outcomes and behavioral intention.