Sustainability Flashcards
Define resource sustainability
How fast resource is used in relation to how fast it is replaced
Define life support system sustainability
considering wider impacts (even if resource is replaced)
What is planned obsolescence?
Deliberately producing/manufacturing products with reduced lifespan
name 4 of the 6 methods of planned obsolescence
- technical failure
- lack of spare parts
- Built in batteries
- customer info
- fashion
- throwaway society
define ecological footprint
Area of the earths surface needed to provide the resources and deal with waste produced
define carbon footprint
part of ecological footprint that specifically is caused by release of carbon + other GHGs
define biocapacity
Measure of the biological productivity of an area can be increased by good management but decreased by degradation
Ecological debt (earth overshoot)
measure of how much faster we are exploiting the planets resources than they can be replaced
Living planet index
measure of the state of the earths ecosystems
Global hectare
hectare of land with a biocapacity that is the average of the whole planet
Cycling of materials
biogeo cycles illustrate how the build up of materials can be avoided thru recycling
energy derived from renewable resources
natural processes driven almost exclusively by renewable resources
Why do graphs include confidence limits
Based upon the sample data/estimates
Name the 6 of the 10 principles of the circular economy
- cycling of materials
- energy derived from renewable resources
- human activities should support ecosystems
- diverse systems are more resistant to change
- connected systems
- design of products for end of life
- design of products for extended use
- separation of technical and biological materials
- optimum production rather that max production
- tech to design new products to improve effectiveness
human activities should support ecosystems
human survival depends on ecosystems so anything that degrades them impacts our survival
diverse systems are more resistant to change
impact of change is smaller as each component is relatively less important
connected systems
waste product from one system can be used by another
design of products for end of life
enables materials to be more easily identified separated and recycled
design of products for extended use
Reduces the opportunity for the loss of materials
separation of technical and biological materials
different materials require different reprocessing methods
optimum production rather that max production
overproduction from natural systems provides a surplus that the whole system relies upon i.e. pollination, seed dispersal
tech to design new products to improve effectiveness
improved designs can increase energy efficiency alongside ease of recycling and reduce material use
name 2 initiatives which supports circular economy + sustainability
- EU initiatives: improved management of fish stocks/introduced species, waste management etc.
- Rio summit: restore fish stocks, providing safe drinking h2o
Define dynamic equilibria
movement from 1 reservoir to another reservoir is balanced out by the movement in the opposite direction
Give an example of sustainable management of biodiversity
Ol Pejeta Game Reserve, Kenya
- Tick control = cattle dipped in insecticide
- Bomas = decrease predator losses
- biological corridors = link to other conservation areas
Give an example of sustainable logging
Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize
- no harvesting of small trees
- Tree nurseries
- restriction of machine use
Give an example of sustainable industry
Kalundborg Industrial Park, Denmark
- industrial symbiosis
- organic sludge from fish farm used as fertiliser
- heat from power station used for domestic heating/aquaculture
