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Sustainability Flashcards

(57 cards)

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0
Q

Life cycle assessment?

A

Evaluate impact of product from ‘Cradle to the grave’

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1
Q

Sustainability?

A

Safeguarding the world for future generations

Balance is drawn between design benefits and impact on the environment

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2
Q

Life cycle inventory?

A

Consumers expect companies to pay attention to environmental impact of products
British Standards and ISO 14000 series demand continuous improvements of environmental systems
Inventory describes the raw materials used, emissions that occur during product’s life
Environmental inputs/outputs
Economic inputs/outputs

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3
Q

Cleaner product design - CONSIDERATIONS?

A

Raw materials
Waste production
Energy consumption
Atmospheric emissions

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4
Q

Recycling - CONSIDERATIONS?

A

Easy to dismantle
Easy to separate different materials
Easy to remove components
Avoid surface treatments

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5
Q

Sustainability factors?

A

Cyclic - use materials that are continually recycled or are biodegradable (decreases waste pollution)
Solar - only use renewable energy in manufacturing and use
Safe - don’t damage the environment- doesn’t emit pollutants
Efficient - reduce materials and energy consumption
Social - supports human rights and justice

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6
Q

Life cycle stages?

A

Raw materials - use less, use materials with recyclable materials
Manufacture - reduce energy use, simplify processes
Distribution - reduce packaging
Use - increase durability, efficiency,
End of life - make reuse/recycling easier

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7
Q

Life cycle - RAW MATERIALS?

A

Materials (ore) in earth’s crust
Extraction is costly and bad for the environment (converting ore)
Reducing materials: conserves resources and reduces energy consumption and pollution

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8
Q

Life cycle - MANUFACTURE?

A

Manufacturing has a lot of environmental impact and cost - companies look for more efficient and cleaner processes
Achieved with designs using less materials and energy to make
-Simpler designs
-Different materials
-Better materials
-Simpler components
-Simplified workflow and better quality control

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9
Q

Life cycle - DISTRIBUTION?

A

High energy use and carbon dioxide emissions - contribute to global warming
Make roads busier
Better transport used (electric) and reduced journey length (use local resources)
Reduce packaging and make more efficient

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10
Q

Fossil fuel alternatives?

A

Diesel/petrol cause pollution
Costs are rising
Alternatives need: performance, reliability and availability
Most have poor availability

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11
Q

Liquefied petroleum gas - ADVANTAGES?

A

Good fuel availability
Reduced emissions
Low fuel cost

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12
Q

Liquefied petroleum gas - DISADVANTAGES?

A

Not available for diesel vehicles

No factory-fit vehicles available

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13
Q

Bio ethanol - ADVANTAGES?

A

Reduced emissions
Increased power
Factory-fit models available
Renewable fuel

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14
Q

Bio ethanol - DISADVANTAGES?

A

Poor availability
Limited vehicle availability
Price similar to diesel
Lower economy to petrol

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15
Q

Compressed natural gas - ADVANTAGES?

A

Can be fit to existing diesel cars using kit
Similar economy to diesel
Reduced emissions

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16
Q

Compressed natural gas - DISADVANTAGES?

A

Poor availability
Limited kits available
Slow refuelling

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17
Q

Hydrogen - ADVANTAGES?

A

Zero emissions

Renewable fuel

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18
Q

Hydrogen - DISADVANTAGES?

A

Poor availability

Limited kits available

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19
Q

Electricity - ADVANTAGES?

A

Zero emissions

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20
Q

Electricity - DISADVANTAGES?

A

Limited range

Slow charging/recharging

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21
Q

Product use?

A

Built in obsolescence means it can’t be repaired - need to be replaced
Replaceable parts extend product life
Technology can be upgraded when it becomes obsolete instead of replacing the whole thing - compromises hardware design
Technology can be reused on secondhand market or developing markets

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22
Q

Reduce?

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A

Reduce amount of material use
Packaging designers optimise amount of materials used - reduce resource consumption
Reduces costs and improve margins
Consider materials and design used
Optimise package use (level of protection needed)

23
Q

Reuse?

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A

Minimises extraction and processing of raw materials

Sometimes making something reusable requires more energy

24
Recover?
Manufacturing a product requires energy | Waste that can't be recycled can be incinerated to generate electricity and hot water
25
Recycle?
Taking waste products and reprocessing as something new
26
Recovering/recycling metal?
Metals can be melted down and reused many times Ferrous: melted down - low scrap value Non-ferrous: valuable in scrap form Difficult to tell non-ferrous to ferrous - use magnets Takes less energy to recycle aluminium than produce
27
Burning fossil fuels?
Greenhouse gases | Contributes to climate change
28
Sandals?
Humanity should deeply weave itself into the natural world - using renewable energy sources
29
Nukes?
Technology is the way forward | Should reduce dependency on the planet's natural resources
30
Wind?
Power of wind turns turbines which generates electricity
31
Wind - ADVANTAGES?
No pollution Low cost power - low maintenance to run Flexibility - can be used in large scale wind farms or small individual ones Installed offshore to avoid visual impact on environment
32
Wind - DISADVANTAGES?
Unsightly - ruin landscape Take up lots of space - can only supply small proportion of total energy Dangerous to birds - affect ecosystems Noisy - disrupt community
33
Water?
Running water turns turbine | Generates hydroelectric power
34
Water - ADVANTAGES?
Hydroelectric plants are very efficient - minimum running cost (automated) Last many years (50-100yrs+) Lots of electricity generated (high set up cost payed off) Dams can control flooding
35
Water - DISADVANTAGES?
Expensive construction Areas must be flooded (make a dam) - people relocated Dam failure would flood area (terrorism target) High greenhouse gases produced (plant life destroyed)
36
Solar?
Hot water and electricity generated from solar energy via solar panels
37
Solar - ADVANTAGES?
Lots of energy in the sun Little maintenance and cost (after set up) Economically competitive for isolated areas
38
Solar - DISADVANTAGES?
Expensive set up Energy more expensive - than other sources Solar energy not available at night (cloudy)
39
Biomass/biofuels?
Plant materials incinerated to produce heat/electricity
40
Biomass/biofuels - ADVANTAGES?
Inexpensive Lots of waste (landfills/agriculture) Waste becomes useful
41
Biomass/biofuels - DISADVANTAGES?
Ecological damage - Deforestation Carbon dioxide pollution Expensive conversion - biomass to fuel
42
Nuclear?
Controlled nuclear chain reaction Creates heat - boils water Steam turns turbine Generates electricity
43
Nuclear - ADVANTAGES?
Uranium is abundant Heat created can heat the power station Safety improving Future developments more clean and efficient (fission reactor)
44
Nuclear - DISADVANTAGES?
Mistrust from public - large scale accidents (Chernobyl) Risk of contamination (terrorism) and use to create nuclear bomb Radioactive waste must be stored for 1000s of years (to decay) Mining for uranium damages environment
45
Fossil fuels?
Burning hydrocarbons - oil, coal and gas | Produces heat and power
46
Fossil fuels - ADVANTAGES?
Large amounts of electricity for low costs - economies of scale Efficient Stations can be built anywhere
47
Fossil fuels - DISADVANTAGES?
``` Finite resources - will run out Produces emissions - carbon dioxide (largest contributor to global warming) Generates sulphuric acid (acid rain) Coal mining damages environment Wars started over oil reserves ```
48
Global sustainable development?
Developed countries need to reduce use of scarce resources Requires shift to sustainable consumption and rescuing carbon footprint Developing countries need to consume more (provide clean water, electricity) - trade with developed countries (developing countries need to expand and developed countries need to shrink to solve over consumption)
49
Sustainable consumption?
``` Improving analysis and public awareness Provide incentives New transport strategies Use more efficient/cleaner technologies Strengthen international action ```
50
Kyoto protocol?
Sets targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions Developed countries contributed most to global emissions Emissions from developing countries will grow - meet their developmental needs Developing countries exempt from emission targets
51
Non fossil fuel obligation?
NFO Reduces carbon emissions 15% renewable wind by 2015
52
Carbon footprint?
Impact of human activities on the environment
53
Reducing carbon footprint?
Turning off electrical appliances Installing energy saving light bulbs Walking Carbon offsetting - compensating carbon saving
54
Manufacturers reducing carbon footprint?
Life cycle assessments Identifying production hot spots Optimising energy efficiency Identifying carbon offsetting solutions - neutralise carbon dioxide emissions (that can't be eliminated)
55
Problems with forests?
Deforestation - removal of forests for land/timber Environmental degradation of forest area - pollution reduces health Loss of biodiversity - kills ecosystem Loss of cultural assets - indigenous people Loss of livelihood - forest dependent people Climate change - forest removal releases carbon dioxide into environment
56
Sustainable timber production?
UK has responsibility to encourage sustainable production to minimise deforestation by: - using sustainable sources - no longer importing from sources that deforest - moving supply sources to areas of ecological quantity - certificate system to ensure goods are sustainability managed - reduce use of timber - educate to produce with less (simplify designs) - support international efforts to control trade of unsustainable wood

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