topic 2 - eco/green design

Question 1

what’s a renewable resource?

Answer 1

a resource that can be replenished and never runs out.

Question 2

what’s a non-renewable (or finite) resource?

Answer 2

a resource that will eventually run out.

Question 3

difference between renewable and non-renewable:

Answer 3

renewable:
- don’t run out
- better for the environment - don’t release carbon emissions
- but are more expensive
e.g. hydroelectric, solar, wind, geothermal, biomass

non-renewable:
- limited and run out
- bad for environment - release carbon emissions
- cheaper
e.g. coal, natural gas, oil, nuclear

Question 4

what are waste mitigation strategies?

Answer 4

it’s waste management which can help to eliminate materials directed to landfill.

Question 5

what is re-engineer?

Answer 5

to redesign and improve/enhance the product

Question 6

what is recondition?

Answer 6

rebuild the product so that it’s back to ‘new’.

Question 7

what is dematerialisation?

Answer 7

reducing quantities of materials. e.g. making packaging lighter or the old mac book pro vs new

Question 8

what is the LCA?

Answer 8

a technique to assess environmental impacts assossiated with the stages of the product’s life - cradle to grave or cradle to cradle.

Question 9

what is clean technology?

Answer 9

products that reduce waste and require minimum amount of non-renewable energy.

Question 10

local environmental problems:

Answer 10

• noise/air pollution
• soil and water pollution

Question 11

regional environmental problems:

Answer 11

• drought
• waste disposal

Question 12

continental environmental problems:

Answer 12

• acidification
• ozone levels

Question 13

global environmental problems:

Answer 13

• impact on ozone layer
• climate change
• sea levels rising

Question 14

what is green design?

Answer 14

to improve an existing product and redesign it to address environmental objectives.

Question 15

what is eco-design?

Answer 15

more comprehensive than green design because it focuses on materials, energy, and waste.

Question 16

what are the lifecycle stages?

Answer 16

1. pre-production
2. production
3. distribution
4. utilisation
5. disposal

Question 17

what is an end-of-pipe technology?

Answer 17

it’s technology that is put at the end of the manufacturing process to reduce pollution. e.g. a sewage system that recycles the dirty water and filters it

Question 18

what is an incremental strategy?

Answer 18

a strategy that involves adding new features on a system in small increments. this so you don’t have to build the whole thing from scratch.

Question 19

what is a radical strategy?

Answer 19

a strategy that involves creating new products or concepts. it is high-risk, high-reward.

Question 20

is end-of-pipe technology incremental or radical?

Answer 20

it is incremental.

Question 21

is clean technology incremental or radical?

Answer 21

it is radical.

Question 22

what are the advantages of using an incremental strategy?

Answer 22

• Incremental costs less because you only have to add the technology to the end of the manufacturing production.
• it is quicker to do than radical.
• it can use existing trusted technologies.
• limited down time in production, meaning continued profits.

Question 23

what are the advantages of using a radical strategy?

Answer 23

• radical is more beneficial for the environment because it addresses the whole process. it can make a sudden impact.
• it has high marketing image potential
• it is more financially beneficial in the long run.

Question 24

what are the disadvantages of using an incremental strategy?

Answer 24

• environmental improvement is limited.
• the manufacturing process may take longer
• it requires long-term planning
  it’s still reliant on non-green technology throughout the production.

Question 25

what are the disadvantages of using a radical strategy?

Answer 25

• radical costs more in the short-term
• it has a large risk factor
• requires you to replace the whole system
• it has a high uncertainty of success.
• it has a high possibility of market resistance.

Question 26

what are converging technologies?