Selected community sustainability projects Flashcards
What are some examples of small relatively self contained communities trying to be more sustainable?
Eigg Scotland
BedZED London
Where is Eigg?
A small island of the west coast of Scotland with an area of 31km*2 and 100 residents
What as setup in 1996 in Eigg?
Isle of Eigg trust
What was the aim of the Isle of Eigg trust?
To buy the island from the existing owner then manage the island for the benefit of the community, wildlife and the wider environment
How is Eigg’s energy sustainable?
Eigg is not connected to the national electricity grid
Islands energy strategy emphasises renewables
What was developed for Eiggs electricity in 2008?
Island electricity grid to distribute electricity generated by renewable sources with diesel backup generators
How many HEP generators does Eigg have?
3 (largest has capacity of 100kw)
What do some individual households on Eigg have to be more sustainable?
Micro-hydro systems
solar PV and photothermal systems
How large is in terms of power is Eiggs solar farm?
50kw solar PV system
How many wind turbines does Eigg have?
4 generating up to 24kw of electricity
What is used for heating in many properties on Eigg?
Wood biomass
How are most cars powered on Eigg?
mostly petrol or diesel with little electric
What are some examples of habitats that have been protected on Eigg?
Sea cliffs (nests for seabirds)
Conifer plantations removed (restore bog and heath)
Rowan tree planted (provide winter bird food)
What sort of birds nest on Eigg?
Hen harriers
Golden eagles
White tailed eagles
How have areas with important wild plants been protected? (Eigg)
have been fenced for protection from grazing
How is waste and recycling treated on Eigg?
Recyclable waste is collected and shipped off the island for recycling
Garden and food waste is composted and used as garden soil improver
What does RBCMA stand for?
Rio bravo conservation and management area
Where is Rio bravo?
Belize, Central America
What species were selectively logged by the British up to the middle of the 20th century?
Mahogany
Who now manages Rio bravo?
Belizian NGO ‘programme for Belize’
What is the biodiversity of Rio bravo like?
High
200 tree species
400 bird species
70 mammal species
Why does current exploitation of the Rio bravo area aim to make money for?
The reserve without causing long term damage
What sort of areas in the Rio bravo reserve aren’t exploited?
More sensitive areas such as wetlands close to rivers
What is the focus for tree selection for logging in Rio bravo?
The most economically valuable such as mahogany
What is needed for trees to be felled in Rio bravo?
There must be trees of the same species upwind as there seeds will recolonise the area
What allows trees form Rio bravo to be tracked?
Each reeled tree us given a unique identification tag allowing it to be traced to its original location
Why is tracking of felled trees from Rio bravo done?
Used to gain accreditation of sustainable exploitation by the forest stewardship council
What are buffer zones near rivers part if the Rio bravo management?
No mechanical or harvesting activities can occur near rivers because of the ecological sensitivity of aquatic ecosystems
Why are small trees not felled in Rio bravo?
As it allows them to grow and be harvested in the future when they are larger
Why might some large trees be left in the Rio bravo area?
They may be left because they produce many seeds that will help to fill spaces left by felled trees
Why is there restricted use of machinery in Rio bravo?
Large machines can damage the trunks and roots of trees tat are not going to be felled
Why must track roots be planned in the Rio bravo area?
Planned to avoid important trees and their roots (including rare trees and one which provide food)
Previous tracks used whenever possible
What is done with small branches from felling in Rio bravo?
Small branches with low commercial value are given to local artisans (carvers or furniture makers)
Why are tree nurseries used in the Rio bravo area?
Tree seedlings are raised to increase the number if trees that’s ere over-exploited in the past or which are ecologically important (fruit trees)
How is illegal logging controlled in Rio bravo?
Rangers patrol the reserve to control illegal logging
Confiscated timber used to pay for conservation activities
What is being done for carbon sequestration in Rio bravo?
Area of forest is part of a research programme to see the role of forests in reducing global climate change
Where has funding for the carbon sequestration programme come from? (Rio bravo)
Electricity companies
Individuals who want to minimise atmospheric CO2 levels
Where is Kalundborg eco-industrial park?
Denmark
What is the Kalundborg eco-industrial park?
Industrial symbiosis project where companies in an area are organised in a way that mimics natural cyclical processes
What is done whenever possible with he eco-industrial park?
Located o that the raw materials they need are the waste from another industry
What can be the use of heat waste from coal fired power stations?
Domestic heating
Fish farms
What can be the use of sulphur dioxide waste from coal fired power stations?
Building plaster manufacture
What can be the use of ash waste from coal fired power stations?
Road building and cement manufacture
What can the organic sludge waste from fish farms be used for?
Agricultural fertiliser
What can the yeast waste from biotechnology and medicine manufacture be used for?
Pig farms (food)
What can the fermentation sludge waste from biotechnology and medicine manufacture be used for?
Agricultural fertiliser
What can the natural gas waste form oil refinery be used for?
Burnt in coal fired power stations
What is the restriction to renewable energy?
Restricted by geographical and temporal availability
What do large scale electricity grids allow for?
Make it possible to distribute electricity from area of surplus to areas of shortage
What is the problem alternating current?
Requires every power station to be generating so that it can synchronise to be in phase with all others (difficult with a wide range of countries)
What has been proposed to be able to harness more renewable energy?
Several large scale direct current projects
What is an example of a large scale direct current project?
Pan Asian Energy infrastructure (Eastern Asia)
