C.S. Y10 Environmental Issues Flashcards
environmental definition
relating to the natural world and the impact of humans on it
disposal definition
the action/process of getting rid of something
pollution definition
the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change
obsolescence definition
the process of becoming obsolete or outdated and no longer used
planned obsolescence definition
the practice of designing products to break quickly or become obsolete in the short to mid-term
heavy metals definition
a group of naturally occurring metallic elements of high molecular weight and density compared to water
streaming definition
a method of transmitting or receiving data over a computer network as a steady, continuous flow
e-waste definition
electronic waste – any waste with plugs, cords and electronic components
why is working from home good
- don’t have to commute to work – reduces emissions produced by transport
- reduces costs of maintaining an office e.g. lighting etc.
- reduces costs of heating
why are energy smart homes good
- reduces costs of heating by detecting when the temperature needs to be at certain temperatures
- reduces cost of lighting – detects when lights need to be turned on
- reduces costs of appliances – automatically turn off when not in use
why is sharing economy good (ubers, airbnb, etc.)
- reduces costs of lighting e.g. hotel lights
- reduces costs of appliances – same appliances can be used by multiple people
- allows people not using a home etc. to earn money off of it and save energy at the same time
why are electric cars good
- reduces emissions produced by transport – sustainable energy is used
- allows the car to be refuelled at home
- allows for fewer petrol stations to be built, and more charging stations for electric cars
what is a smart city
a city which uses digital technology to collect data and perform certain tasks to help the citizens
why are smart cities good
- designed to optimise resources
- promotes stable and sound development
what does WEEE stand for
waste electrical and electronic equipment
what is the WEEE directive
introduced new responsibilities for businesses selling and/or using electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
who dooes the WEEE directive apply to
businesses selling and/or using electrical and electronic equipment (EEE)
where should individuals take their items to when disposing of them to comply with the WEEE Directive
back to the distributor or to a recycling centre
what components contain steel
hard drive, case
what components contain gold
CPU, RAM
what components contain copper
USB cable
what components contain aluminium
hard disk, CPU, heat sink
what components contain fibreglass
hard disk, RAM
what components contain plastic
hard disk, USB cable, gaming controller
negative impacts on the environment from electronic devices
- manufacture
- replacement cycle
- disposal
- energy consumption
how does modern technology have a positive impact on the environment
- more efficient and cleaner energy source
- reduce energy consumption
- low-carbon technology - reduce emissions
- monitor areas
- pollute less
how can companies design products with planned obsolescence
- unreliable parts
- software – using software to program a product to fail
- marketing
environmental impacts of planned obsolescence
- more emissions
- more e-waste
- usable and defunct devices end up in landfills
why do people upgrade smartphones
- new features
- limited storage
- broken screen
- enhanced security
- improved performance
- phone damage or wear and tear
- battery performance
what % of electronics still work or need minor repair in UK
23%
how much e-waste is generated each year in UK
1.6 million tonnes
how much gold does each phone contain in UK
24mg
how much gold, silver and steel is thrown away worldwide
300 tons, 1000 tons and 16 million tons respectively
