Unit 2 Flashcards
The water cycle is an example of:
an ecosystem service
Which ecosystem service is estimated to have the highest annual monetary value?
Nutrient recycling
How can it be useful to place a monetary value on ecosystem services, even if we know it will not be accurate?
We are more likely to protect these vital services if we acknowledge that they do have value to us.
The land needed to provide the resources for and assimilate the waste of a person or population is referred to as:
an ecological footprint
Readily produced resources that can be used and still leave enough natural capital behind to replace what we took are known as:
natural interest
The sap of maple trees (sap is “food” for the tree) can be tapped to make maple syrup, but taking too much will kill the tree. In this example, what would constitute the natural capital, and what would be the natural interest?
The natural capital would be the maple trees that produce the sap (was well as the resources they need to grow such as water, soil, nutrients, etc.). The natural interest would be the amount of sap that could be taken without compromising the tree’s ability to grow and produce sap the next year.
True or False: Researchers use the IPAT model to estimate the size of an individual’s ecological footprint.
False
What is the IPAT model? How is the equation I = P × A × T similar to and/or different from the equation I = (P × A)/T?
The IPAT model states that human impact on the environment (I) is a function of population size (P), affluence (A) and technology (T). As each of these increases, so too does human impact on the environment. But better technologies that improve efficiency and reduce resource use or pollution can actually reduce impact. In this case the equation becomes I = (P × A)/T.
Which of the following is an internal cost of coal mining?
Wages paid to workers
If we included external costs in the cost of a good or service, we would expect the price to:
go up as the users become responsible for paying all the costs.
What is true cost accounting, and why would it be good for the environment if businesses internalized all external costs?
True costs accounting internalizes external costs when determining a fair price for a product or service in order to identify not only the financial investment made by a business but also the environmental and societal costs of doing business. When a good or service is priced at its true cost, the environmental impact of a consumer choice should go down since the price will have to reflect steps that address (or prevent) environmental problems.
What does the term cradle-to-cradle mean when talking about product management?
Production is cyclical: “Waste” becomes the raw material once again and can be reused.
Which of the following statements about sustainability is false?
In its current form, mainstream economics is the optimal model for building sustainability because external costs are built in.
In addition to failure to consider true costs, identify and explain four erroneous assumptions that mainstream economics makes with regard to the environment.
- it assumes all resources are either unlimited or substitutional (this is not true for all resources, i.e. fossil fuels are finite and we have not yet been able to come up with replacements at current levels of use) 2. ongoing economic growth is possible (despite limits for finite natural resources). 3. production can follow a linear sequence: inputs → production /product → waste (this ignores the usefulness of waste as a resource) 4. future productivity (long term value) is not as valuable as short term gain of immediate use or liquidation of a resource (this “discounting the future” allows resources to be exploited without considering the impact of their loss to future users)
What actions did Interface Carpet use to become more sustainable?
Interface mimicked nature to develop their TacTiles technology (a safer glue based how a gecko lizard clings to walls and ceilings); they used a life-cycle analysis to identify impacts at every stage, allowing them to reduce waste and make better material and process choices. Interface also revolutionized its operations focusing on leasing rather than selling the product itself; this encourages Interface to produce carpet that is durable, recyclable, and also easily replaceable.
All of the following are consistent with the law of conservation of matter except
if we encounter dangerous matter that we don’t want around, we can destroy it.
Distinguish between degradable, biodegradable, and nondegradable waste. How well do plastics degrade?
These 3 categories differ in the degree or manner in which waste can be broken down to another form. Waste that is degradable can be broken down by physical or chemical means; biodegradable waste can be broken down by living organisms. Waste that is nondegradable resists being broken down at all and may persist in its original form. Plastics do not degrade easily — they are chemical stable and require exposure to UV light in an oxygen rich environment to start the process of breaking apart. Few, if any, microbes digest plastics so they are generally not considered to be biodegradable.
How does waste generation relate to developmental status of countries? Why do you suppose that the regions with the highest per capita waste generation produce so much more waste than other regions?
The more developed a country is, the more waste it produces per person. This probably reflects excess income that can be used to buy more products and to buy products that are more processed and packaged. In lower income areas discarded items are more likely to be reclaimed and reused or recycled as well.
True or False: Garbage decomposes more quickly in a sanitary landfill than it would in an open dump.
False
Which of the following statements about incinerators is false?
The heat released during burning reduces the toxic and hazardous materials in the waste stream.
Compare and contrast landfilling and composting. What are the trade-offs for each option?
In both, trash is allowed to decompose but the similarity ends there. Landfilled trash decomposed very slowly because water and air are excluded. This favors anaerobic bacterial breakdown which is very slow and produces methane as a byproduct. Composting puts the trash under conditions that favor aerobic bacteria and maximize decomposition rates. The result is a mulch-like soil that can be used to improve soil quality. Landfills do not produce a usable soil product but the methane can be harvested and used to produce electricity. A compost facility or area can be used indefinitely because of the fast rate of decomposition (assuming the resulting compost is removed and used). A landfill must be retired once full and may not be suitable for all land uses due to the potential presence of hazardous material buried in the landfill.
Which of the following is a consequence of uncollected waste?
Air pollution
Water pollution
Flooding
In what ways does the plastic trash in oceans harm ocean life?
Animals can get trapped by larger plastic debris; they may ingest smaller pieces that might cause choking, obstruction of their gut or poisoning. Plastic may also serve as attachment points for sea life, transporting species out of their natural ranges — this may be harmful for the sea life transported but more likely introduces new species to an area which may disrupt normal ecosystems.
From an economic point of view, why is solid waste considered a mismanagement of resources?
Resources that are buried or lying in open dumps or burned to ash may no longer be readily available to be re-used and recycled. This reduces the matter available both to organisms in ecosystems and manufacturers looking for raw materials for production.