Sustainability

Question 1

Define resource sustainability

Answer 1

How fast resource is used in relation to how fast it is replaced

Question 2

Define life support system sustainability

Answer 2

considering wider impacts (even if resource is replaced)

Question 3

What is planned obsolescence?

Answer 3

Deliberately producing/manufacturing products with reduced lifespan

Question 4

name 4 of the 6 methods of planned obsolescence

Answer 4

1. technical failure
2. lack of spare parts
3. Built in batteries
4. customer info
5. fashion
6. throwaway society

Question 5

define ecological footprint

Answer 5

Area of the earths surface needed to provide the resources and deal with waste produced

Question 6

define carbon footprint

Answer 6

part of ecological footprint that specifically is caused by release of carbon + other GHGs

Question 7

define biocapacity

Answer 7

Measure of the biological productivity of an area can be increased by good management but decreased by degradation

Question 8

Ecological debt (earth overshoot)

Answer 8

measure of how much faster we are exploiting the planets resources than they can be replaced

Question 9

Living planet index

Answer 9

measure of the state of the earths ecosystems

Question 10

Global hectare

Answer 10

hectare of land with a biocapacity that is the average of the whole planet

Question 11

Cycling of materials

Answer 11

biogeo cycles illustrate how the build up of materials can be avoided thru recycling

Question 12

energy derived from renewable resources

Answer 12

natural processes driven almost exclusively by renewable resources

Question 13

Why do graphs include confidence limits

Answer 13

Based upon the sample data/estimates

Question 14

Name the 6 of the 10 principles of the circular economy

Answer 14

1. cycling of materials
2. energy derived from renewable resources
3. human activities should support ecosystems
4. diverse systems are more resistant to change
5. connected systems
6. design of products for end of life
7. design of products for extended use
8. separation of technical and biological materials
9. optimum production rather that max production
10. tech to design new products to improve effectiveness

Question 15

human activities should support ecosystems

Answer 15

human survival depends on ecosystems so anything that degrades them impacts our survival

Question 16

diverse systems are more resistant to change

Answer 16

impact of change is smaller as each component is relatively less important

Question 17

connected systems

Answer 17

waste product from one system can be used by another

Question 18

design of products for end of life

Answer 18

enables materials to be more easily identified separated and recycled

Question 19

design of products for extended use

Answer 19

Reduces the opportunity for the loss of materials

Question 20

separation of technical and biological materials

Answer 20

different materials require different reprocessing methods

Question 21

optimum production rather that max production

Answer 21

overproduction from natural systems provides a surplus that the whole system relies upon i.e. pollination, seed dispersal

Question 22

tech to design new products to improve effectiveness

Answer 22

improved designs can increase energy efficiency alongside ease of recycling and reduce material use

Question 23

name 2 initiatives which supports circular economy + sustainability

Answer 23

1. EU initiatives: improved management of fish stocks/introduced species, waste management etc.
2. Rio summit: restore fish stocks, providing safe drinking h2o

Question 24

Define dynamic equilibria

Answer 24

movement from 1 reservoir to another reservoir is balanced out by the movement in the opposite direction

Question 25

Give an example of sustainable management of biodiversity

Answer 25

Ol Pejeta Game Reserve, Kenya

• Tick control = cattle dipped in insecticide
• Bomas = decrease predator losses
• biological corridors = link to other conservation areas

Question 26

Give an example of sustainable logging

Answer 26

Rio Bravo Conservation Area, Belize

• no harvesting of small trees
• Tree nurseries
• restriction of machine use

Question 27

Give an example of sustainable industry

Answer 27

Kalundborg Industrial Park, Denmark

• industrial symbiosis
• organic sludge from fish farm used as fertiliser
• heat from power station used for domestic heating/aquaculture