Topic 2

Question 1

Renewable Resource - Define

Answer 1

Renewable resources are consumed at a lesser rate than they are replaced by natural processes.

Question 2

Renewable Resource - State

Answer 2

Wind, Solar, Hydro Electric, Biomass & gas, Geothermal

Question 3

Non-Renewable Resource - Define

Answer 3

Non-Renewable resources have a limited supply

Question 4

Non-Renewable Resource - State

Answer 4

Oil, Coal, Nuclear power

Question 5

Linear Vs. Circular Economy

Answer 5

Linear works: Make -> Use -> Dispose. Circular tries to keep the product out of the waste stream as long as possible.

Question 6

Waste Mitigation Strategies

Answer 6

Re-use: Repeated use of components or products with the same or different purpose
Recycle: Involves the collection, separation, and processing of materials removing them from the waste stream.
Repair: To restore a damaged item
Recondition: Used product returned to their original condition aimed at extending the product’s life cycle
Reengineer: To significantly redesign the product with improvments

Question 7

Waste Stream - Define

Answer 7

Waste stream is the complete flow of waste from domestic or industrial areas through to final disposal

Question 8

Dematerialization - Define

Answer 8

Use fewer materials or materials that use less energy
The reduction of:
- Raw materials at the production stage
- Energy and material inputs at the usage stage
- Waste at the disposal stage

Question 9

Dematerialization - Strategies

Answer 9

• Miniaturization - Design and manufacture of a smaller product
• Alternative Construction - Design and manufacture of lighter products
• Replacement of material goods by non-material substitutes eg. Paper by email
• Reduction in the use of material system or of systems requiring larger infrastructures eg. Work from home vs using a car to go to work

Question 10

Embodied Energy

Answer 10

The sum of all energy needed to produce a product

Question 11

Microgeneration

Answer 11

small scale systems that generate electricity and/or heat for domestic purposes

Question 12

Clean Technology - Define

Answer 12

Clean technology seeks to reduce waste/pollution from production processes through radical or incremental development of a production system.

Question 13

Clean Technology - Drivers

Answer 13

Consumer, Regulatory & Industry interest

Question 14

Clean Technology - Incrementalism

Answer 14

Incremental changes within a company are small steps towards a larger goal.
Advantages
- Manufacturers do not need to invest in large changes to processes, technology, personnel or approaches.
- Manufacturers can respond to aspects of legislation quickly and efficiently
- Manufacturers can follow the lead of others without investing in R&D

Disadvantages:

• Manufacturers might need to make small changes on a more frequent basis
• The small changes might not fulfil the requirements of the legislation

Question 15

Clean Technology - Radicalism

Answer 15

Making a great and sudden impact to how ‘clean’ a company
Advantages:
- Companies can benefit from an improved reputation
- Sometimes radical approaches are required to respond to drastic legislation
- Might actually be a cheaper solution

Disadvantages:

• Radical solutions sometime require R&D
• Can involve investment in personnel, training, technologies, equipment
• Untried methods are not risk-free

Question 16

End of Pipe Technologies - Define

Answer 16

End of Pipe refers to technical measures for reactive environmental protection such as filtering plants, wastewater treatment plants etc., which serve to contain emissions (exhaust gases, wastewater, noise), pollutants and other polluting substances which have already occurred or arisen, or to render them controllable or disposable.

Question 17

Green Design - Define

Answer 17

Green design integrates environmental considerations into the design of a product without compromising its integrity. Often over a short timescale of 2-5 years

Question 18

Green Design - Strategies

Answer 18

• Process streamlining
• Product optimisation
• Parts standardisation
• Improvements in reliability
• Benchmarking against competitors

Question 19

Green Design - Drivers

Answer 19

Consumer Pressure & Legislation

Question 20

Green Design - Objectives

Answer 20

• Increasing efficiency - through the use of materials, energy and other resources
• Minimizing damage/pollution - from the chosen materials
• Reducing to a minimum long term harm - caused by the use of a product
• Efficient life expectancy - ensuring that the planned life of the product is most appropriate in environmental terms and that it functions efficiently for its full life
• End of disposal - taking full account of the effects of the disposal of a product
• environmental packaging & instructions - encourage efficiency
• Minimize nuisances- such as noise and smell
• Minimize potential safety hazards - analyzing these.
  labelling materials - so they can be identified for recycling

Question 21

Green Design - Prevention Principle

Answer 21

A number of risk assessment tools can be used by companies to assess their operations for risk and introduce management systems to protect the health and safety of employees and minimisze waste. Actions should be taken before damage occurs.

Question 22

Green Design - Precautionary principle

Answer 22

Precautionary principle - the anticipation of potential problems in relation to the environmental impact of the production, use and disposal of a product.

Question 23

Eco Design - Cradle To Grave

Answer 23

Assessment of the whole life cycle of a product

Question 24

Eco Design - Cradle to Cradle

Answer 24

The target is to develop and design products that are truly suited to a biological or technical metabolism, thereby preventing the recycling of products which were never designed to be recycled in the first place.

Question 25

Eco Design - Life Cycle Analysis

Answer 25

Analysis of the environmental impact over the course of the product’s life cycle: Resources, Material Processing, Product Manufacturing, Distribution, Use & End of Life

Question 26

Converging Technologies

Answer 26

When one product takes on the functionality of several others ie. When the iPhone is both a camera and a phone.