Sustainability Flashcards
A gravity feed water supply system must have storage tanks how far above the distribution area?
At least 70 ft
Ambient standards
Deals with both air and water quality
Amount of acres of land to provide food for one person
25 acres
Average annual per capita consumption of gasoline in 2000?
430 gallons
Bearing Capacity of Soil Types (PSF)
Bedrock - 12,000 Sedimentary Rock - 4,000 Gravel - 3,000 Sand, silt, clay sand/gravel - 2,000 Clay - 1,500
Brownfield development
Development on a site not used or underused due to real or perceive environmental issues
CAFE (1975)?
Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards for light trucks and passenger cars
Capillary fringe
Subsurface layer in which groundwater seeps up from a water table by capillary action to fill pores
Carrying capacity
Largest number of species that a habitat can support indefinitely Term also used by planners to describe maximum amount of development that can be supported by soils, slope, and vegetation
Compact fluorescent lights
Can last up to 10 times longer than a standard incandescent light
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA 1980)
Superfund, Gave EPA power to seek out those parties responsible for any hazardous releases and assure their cooperation in the cleanup
Cone of depression
The zone that becomes unsaturated when a well in an unconfined aquifer is pumped
Conservation easement?
separates ownership of land from the right to develop that land
Crime Prevention thorough Environmental Design (CPTED)
proper design of built environment can reduce fear and incidence of crime (and can increase business activity)
Effluent
The treated wastewater discharged by sewage treatment plants
Endangered species Act (1973)
1200 listed 36% fish 35% amphibians 17% mammals 11% birds Hawaii has the most endangered species
Endangered species number
1200
Environmental assessment
Required for actions that might have a significant environmental effect
FIFRA (1996)
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act of 1996 Provided federal control of pesticide distribution, sale, and use Required pesticide users to register with the EPA FIFRA amendments required all users of pesticides to pass a certification exam in order to apply pesticides
Gifford Pinochet
First director of the U.S. Forest Service (1905), leader of conservation movement, advocating for both preservation and scientific management of natural resources
Green E
Voluntary labeling program in California to indicate which competitive products are made using “green power”
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA, 1991)
Required coordination between states and metropolitan areas for air quality standards; created program to earmark funds for scenic byways and historic preservation to address community-wide impacts of transportation
Lacustrine
Refers to a lake or lake-type environment, such as a wetland
Largest concrete structure in the US?
Grand Coulee Dam, on the Columbia River in central Washington State, built for irrigation, electric power generation, and flood control
Limnology
The study of the chemical, hydrological and biological aspects of lakes and ponds
Lowering thermostat by 1 degree
Can reduce heating bill by 1-3%
Man vs. Nature (1864)?
George Perkins Marsh, inspired the conservationist movement
Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)
Highest level of a contaminant that is allowed in drinking water; for nitrates: 10ppm; for fluoride, 4ppm
NEPA (1970)
Created Council on Environmental Quality and NEPA process. EPA was established same year by executive order. Nixon
Non-point sources of pollution
Vary widely and allow fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, oil, grease, toxic chemicals, salts, bacteria, and sediment to move into bodies of water. A land use map can provide clues as to sources of non-point pollution
NPDES (1972)
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System: Authorized by the Clean Water Act, to control water pollution by regulation point sources that discharge pollutants into U.S. water bodies; Industrial and municipal polluters must obtain a NPDES discharge p
NPDES (1972)
National Pollution Discharge Elimination System of 1972 Authorized by the Clean Water Act Put in place to control water pollution by regulating point sources that discharge pollutants into water bodies Industrial and municipal polluters must obtain an NPDES discharge permit and meet both federal and state water quality standards. Permits are good for 5 years. New developments frequently require permitting for storm water discharge.
OSHA (1970)
Established the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
Perc test
Use to determine if soil at a site has adequate absorptive capacity for a septic system to function properly
PM10 vs PM2.5
Particulate Matter (size) PM10 - dust, mold PM2.5 - metal dust, combustion particles, organic compounds
Point Source pollution
sewer pipe, chemical factory
Pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act (6)
Nitrogen oxide, Carbon monoxide, Lead, Sulfur dioxide, ozone, and particulates
Preservation v. conservation
Preservation of wilderness (Muir), vs. Conservation (wise use of natural resources, Pinchot)
Prevention of Significant Deterioration
Required under the Clean Air Act Refers to permit application and review process for construction and operation of new and stationary sources of pollution in attainment areas
Private sewage treatment facility
Small, privately-owned sewage treatment facilities used by a small number (~12) of homes to handle between 3,000-10,000 gallons per day May be permitted to protect water quality, but would not be permitted in floodplains, near public water supplies, or near rate or endangered species habitats Prohibited by many states because they are unreliable
R-11 - R-28
Minimum level of insulation for exterior walls for home heating system
R-factor
The ability of insulation above ceilings and in walls to keep heat inside during the winter and keep heat our during the summer; The higher the R-factor, the better the insulation and the less energy required to keep building hot or cold
Report on the Lands of the Arid Region of the U.S.? (1878)
John Wesley Powell, proposal to foster settlement and conserve water in the arid west
Sierra Club (1892)
John Muir, to promote the protection and preservation of the natural environment
Silent Spring (1962)
Rachel Carson, about the harmful effects of pesticides on animal, plant and human life
Solid waste
4.4 pounds per person daily 40% paper 18% yard trimmings 7% food scraps 8% plastics
Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) (1965)
established a framework for states to better control solid waste disposal and set minimum safety requirements for landfills. Was replaced by RCRA.
The Last Landscape (1959)
William H. Whyte, coined the term greenway
Tributary
Water, surface or underground, which contributes its water in small quantities to another larger stream
Types of Streams
Perennial Stream - annual Intermittent Stream - seasonal Ephemeral Stream - rain fed Arroyo - seasonal in desert Slough - slow moving within a wetland
Types of Wetlands
Marine - direct to ocean Estuarine - connected to ocean Riverine - freshwater Lacustrine - wetland between two uplands with no forest (Lacking Lacustrine) Palustrine - wetland between two uplands with forest
USGS formed, and why
1897, to survey and classify all public domain lands
V Zone
COASTAL. Highest risk of flooding. CE, V-1 - V-30 Flood Insurance Required.
Vernal pools
Seasonal wetlands that hold water about two months in the spring and act as breeding grounds for amphibians but do not contain fish
Volatile Organic Compound (VOC)
Highly mobile organic compound such as petroleum, hydrocarbons, and solvents that readily evaporate
Water usage
50 gallons (but could be calculated as 120 - 180 gallons/person/day, depending on how is calculated and if lawns are being watered)
What leads to algae bloom?
Phosphorous
CERCLA (1980)
“Superfund” act taxes heavy polluting industries for cleanup of environmental contamination. Love Canal incident and Valley of the Drums spurred passage. Replaced by SARA
Clean Air Act 1963
- Has requirements for areas which have not met clean air ambient standards, known as non-attainment areas - New sources are only allowed if there is a reduction in pollutants greater than the pollutants contributed by the source
Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990
Process linking air quality and transportation planning
Clean Air Act(s)
1963 - control of air pollutants 1970 - NAAQS 1977 - PSDs, Non-Attainment 1990 - last amendment
Clean Water Act 1972
Used permits to control point source pollution Set wastewater standards and water quality standards Section 404 protects wetlands and requires a permit for filling
Coastal Zone Management Act 1972
Established NOAA Participating state map waterfront and control land uses Created voluntary national coastal zone management program
Decibel levels
10 db - breathing 40 db - a quiet home 70 db - Freeway traffic or vacuum cleaner 120 db - Loud thunder 132 db - Rock concert
Densest city
Los Angeles
Ecoregions
Large area with local ecosystems throughout the region - provide spatial framework for ecosystem assessment - aggregate of all ecosystem components is different from or less variant than in other areas
Effluent standards
For water only
Gravity feed system
Should be 70 feet above the point of use as part of a water system
Grayfield development
Development of a vacant urban or suburban site that was formerly developed but is now obsolete
Greenfield development
Development on a site never developed before
Hazard Mitigation Planning four steps
1) Mitigation planning, to minimize damage; 2) Preparation planning; 3) Response planning; 4) Recovery planning
Hazard mitigation planning steps
- Identify locations most at risk 2. Consider degree to which population is exposed and potential effects 3. Identify mitigation strategies to reduce the negative impacts of likely hazards
Household water consumption
50 gallons 120-130 per person per day if lawns are included
Human waste
150 gallons of wastewater per day 4.4 pounds of solid waste per day
Insulation for ceiling
Higher number is better
Per capita daily solid waste production?
4.4 lbs/person (40% paper, 18% yard trimmings, 7% food scraps; 8% plastics)
Per capita daily waste water production?
150 gallons
Per capita daily water demand?
50-180 gallons, depending on whether watering the lawn
Phosphates
Because of these, by the mid 1960s many of the nation’s rivers and lakes were rapidly turning green and choking with aquatic plant growth.
Plan B: Rescuing a Planet Under Stress and a Civilization in Trouble
Lester Brown
R-factor
Measure of insulation quality Glass = 1 Attic insulation = 30
Sealing leaks in ducts
Can save an average of 20% on heating costs
Section 404 of Clean Water Act
Authorizes the Army Corps of Engineers to issue permits for the discharge of dredged or fill material into the navigable waters of the U.S.
Woonerf
Street where pedestrians and cyclists have legal priority over motorists.
Drumlin
Glacial form shaped like 1/2 of a hard boiled egg
Esker
Long narrow hill of sand and gravel in an area once covered by ice
Littoral
Inter tidal shallow water zone with roote aquatic plants
Moraine
Glacial deposit of rock and soil
Oligotrophic
Deep lake with few netrients and little organic material
Palustrine
Swamp or marsh type of non-tidal wetlands with cattails
Wrack
Algae, plant and animal materials that accumulate on beaches at high water marks
Purpose of 100th meridian
Separates east and west by rainfall through N and S Dakota and Oklahoma panhandle
Toxic Substances Control Act
Regulates the use of new and existing chemicals and mixtures. Must notify EPA through pre-manufacture notice 90 days prior to manufacture or import of substance for non-exempt purposes.
Toxic Substances Control Act
Regulates the use of new and existing chemicals and mixtures. Must notify EPA through pre-manufacture notice 90 days prior to manufacture or import of substance for non-exempt purposes.
