6. Environmental Issues

What is sustainable development?

• Development that meets the needs of the present

• without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

What is the main idea behind the Limits to Growth study (Meadows et al., 1972)?

• Continuous population and economic growth is limited by the Earth's finite resources and environmental capacity

Which five factors were examined in the Limits to Growth study?

1. Population increase

2. agricultural production

3. nonrenewable resource depletion

4. industrial output

5. pollution generation

What is Earth Overshoot Day?

• The date when humanity's demand for natural resources exceeds Earth's capacity

• to regenerate them within that year.

What is the main problem illustrated by Earth Overshoot Day?

• Humanity is consuming natural resources faster than Earth can regenerate them,

• causing ecological overspending and accumulating environmental damage

What is a linear economy?

• "Take–Make–Use–Waste" system

• in which raw materials are extracted,

• products are produced and used,

• materials are ultimately discarded rather than kept in the cycle

What is a circular economy?

• economic system

• that keeps products and materials in use for as long as possible,

  • retaining their value

  • and reducing waste and pollution.

What are important strategies of a circular economy?

• Reuse

• repair

• refurbish/remanufacture

• recycle

• compost

What are three important design principles for a circular economy?

1. Design for durability

2. design for sourcing

3. design for disassembly or upgradability.

Why is the linear economy environmentally problematic?

• consumes finite resources

• generates large amounts of waste and pollution,

• leaves materials outside the economic cycle

What is the purpose of Digital Product Passports?

• provide information about a product's sustainability

• and circularity throughout its lifecycle,

• supporting transparency,

  • reuse,

  • recycling,

  • regulatory compliance.

What is a Digital Material Passport?

• stores information about the materials

• and energy footprint of a building to facilitate the recovery and reuse of those materials

What is meant by "second life" of a product?

• Using a product or component for a new purpose after its original use,

• e.g. using electric vehicle batteries as stationary energy storage

What does the Right-to-Repair Directive aim to achieve?

• promotes repair instead of replacement by requiring repair options,

• access to spare parts and repair instructions,

• and greater transparency for consumers

What does the WEEE Directive regulate?

• Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE),

• including separate collection and proper treatment,

• recycling/recovery targets, and measures against illegal waste exports