The Designer's Atlas - Ecology

Question 1

How does nature evolve to change?

Answer 1

Rather than breaking down over time nature evolves by absorbing “shocks” with faster moving systems, but keeps overall continuity with slower parts. There is no central brain, each part operates cooperatively adjusted as needed.

Question 2

What are the Earth’s four ecological layers?

Answer 2

Air (atmosphere), organism (biosphere), water (hydrosphere), rock (lithosphere)

Question 3

What are some of the concerns of accumulation of lithosphere materials in the biosphere?

Answer 3

Toxicity; lead, nickel, mercury. Not renewable, millions of years to break down. Cannot be easily removed.

Question 4

What is “The Natural Step”? (TNS)

Answer 4

Under what conditions would we have a sustainable system.

Question 5

What are the four conditions to meet TNS?

Answer 5

1. Materials from the lithosphere must not be allowed to systematically increase in nature.
2. Persistent substances produced by society must not systematically increase in nature.
3. The physical basis of Earth’s productive natural cycles and biological diversity must not be systematically deteriorated.
4. There must be fair and efficient use of resources with respect to meeting human needs.

Question 6

How effective have regulations been?

Answer 6

Pg. 33: They help identify key areas, however a lot of important problems can be left out and is almost always reactive.

Question 7

What are 4 ways in which material wastage occur in a product?

Answer 7

Pg 36: Volume of Material, Stockpile, Contents and Origin, Escape

Question 8

How does wastage occur?

Volume of material?

Answer 8

Material discarded in production process and not included in final product. E.g. raw ore and soil.

Question 9

How does wastage occur

Stockpile?

Answer 9

Small amounts in individual products is harmless, however when piled together forms large amounts of harmful waste.

Question 10

How does wastage occur

Contents and Origin?

Answer 10

Unknown contents and origins of materials.

Question 11

How does wastage occur

Escape

Answer 11

Wearing/abrasion, gasses released, litter

Question 12

What are the steps in a products lifecycle?

Answer 12

Design Concept, materials & manufacture, packaging & transport, Consumer purchase, consumer use, end of life.

Question 13

What is down cycling?

Answer 13

Pg 42: degradation of materials with each recycling.

Question 14

What is up cycling?

Answer 14

Product material is recycled into a high quality material

Question 15

What is danger cycling?

Answer 15

Product is recycled into something that can be hazardous to users.

Question 16

What are the two classifications for materials if classifying as nutrients?

Answer 16

Organic, technical nutrients.