Life-cycle analysis (LCA) consists of looking at a product, process or activity from its inception through its completion. For consumer products, this includes the stages of raw material acquisition, manufacturing and fabrication, distribution, consumer use/reuse and final disposal. Interest in using LCA to focus on energy use and conservation became more common in the mid-1970s, when oil supplies were limited due to the oil embargo and the subsequent energy crisis. Landmark studies have addressed the use of beverage containers, and the use of paper versus plastic shopping bags. Because LCA is relatively new, a lot of variance and inconsistencies exist in the methodologies that are currently used. In response to the lack of uniformity and growing concern about the adverse impact that products and processes have on the environment, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched a research project that is aimed at producing guidelines for standardizing LCA in a non-regulatory mode.