unit 1 - new and emerging technologies Flashcards
1
Q
sustainability
A
- avoidance of the depletion of natural resources to maintain an ecological balance
2
Q
finite resources
A
- non-renewable and will eventually run out
- this includes metals, plastics and fossil fuels
- popular as they are accessible due to strong supply chains
- companies have become increasingly careful in their uses of finite resources
3
Q
non-finite resources
A
- found naturally and can be replaced
- ample in supply, unlikely to be depleted
- can be grown or replaced at the rate they are used
- e.g wood, glass, ceramics, renewable energy
4
Q
waste disposal
A
- everyone is responsible for recycling
- it ensures resources will last as long as possible
- so landfill sites do not fill up too quickly
5
Q
recycling in manufacturing
A
- manufacturing companies are required to recycle as much as
possible - strict limits are set by national and international organisations
- consumer electronics and the automotive industry have strict
requirements on recycling
6
Q
planning of waste disposal within a company can have many positive effects including…
A
- less raw materials being used
-waste materials can be reused internally for alternative parts and products - energy to heat and power a business may be generated
7
Q
life cycle assessment
A
- a ‘cradle to grave’ analysis of the impact of a manufactured product on the environment, assesses the product during the different stages of the products life
- major part of the assessment is to look at the amount of energy used, measured by carbon dioxide
- looks at the ethics and origin of the product
8
Q
main stages of life cycle assessment
A
- extraction and processing
- manufacturing and production
- distribution
- in use
- end of life
9
Q
extraction and processing
A
- amount of energy used to extract raw materials from the earth
- amount of energy used to produce it through farming or other methods
- amount of energy used to process the material for manufacturing
-using up limited resources such as ores and crude oils
- damaging habitats through quarrying, mining or felling of trees
10
Q
manufacturing and production
A
- energy needed to work the raw and refined materials into a product ready for sale
- using land for factories
- production of polluting waste
11
Q
distribution
A
- packaging and transportation of products to customer
- amount of pollutants released into atmosphere varies
12
Q
in use
A
- energy the product and any related consumables used during its working life or useful lifetime
-impact of product on environment
13
Q
end of life
A
- energy that is required to recycle the product or dispose of any waste
- using up land for landfill sites
- recyclability
14
Q
new technologies
A
- being developed to try to reduce the negative impact and are being adopted by several forward-thinking designers and manufacturers
15
Q
BioLite (New York city based)
A
- social enterprise dedicated to creating safe, reliable energy access for everyone
- VISION - to provide 20 million people with access to clean energy and to avoid 3 million tons of carbon dioxide
- make energy products for off-grid living
- products designed to be affordable, durable and user-centric and use thermoelectric technology to generate electricity from heat
- products are used by outdoor recreationalists and families in emerging markets where the grid is not reliable
16
Q
positives of new technologies
A
- using only renewable materials from managed sources
- renewable energy to power production
- using recycled and recyclable materials
- designing products to be repairable, reusable and fully recyclable
- producing with low power consumption
-designing products with fewer components and less weight - designing upgradeable products
- creating products sourced locally
17
Q
negatives of new technologies
A
-overuse of finite and non-recycled
materials
-use of many components that are hard to repair or recycle
- fossil fuels to power manufacture
- high power consumption on standby and in use
- products that have built in obsolescence that are not designed to be upgradable
- component parts of the product which travel long distances and are shipped globally
18
Q
continuous improvement
A
- companies aim to improve their manufacturing system, their product and create opportunities for further improvements
- achieved by improving the efficiency of the production line
- one way could be reducing waste
- kaizen = philosophy from Japan, commitment to continuous process and product improvement, central to success of toyota
19
Q
efficient working
A
- e.g JIT and lean manufacturing are adopted by businesses to save money and gain competitive edge over competitors
- could be re-organising staff, planning a production line, locating factories near source
20
Q
pollution
A
- when harmful substances are released into the natural environment
- legislation has been brought to help this issue
- UK cosmetics can no longer contain plastic microbeads as they were polluting the ocean
- e.g noise pollution, water and soil contamination and release of greenhouse gases
21
Q
global warming
A
- long term warming of the planet’s overall temperature
- due to burning fossil fuels
- increasing populations
- manufacturing process in factories
- release of harmful chemicals (nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide)
22
Q
carbon offsetting
A
- any reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to make up for emissions that occur elsewhere
- based on the idea of “polluter pays”
-individuals, companies and governments can purchase carbon offsets to compensate for their impact of their carbon footprints - examples = land restoration, planting trees, improving energy efficiency (renewables)
