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Describe the purpose of the Montreal Protocol (1987)
global agreement to protect the earth's ozone layer by phasing out a host of chemicals that affected it, notably CFCs and HCFCs (coming from aerosol sprays, Freon, air conditioning, refrigeration)
Explain how the ozone layer is important to biological organisms and why we should protect it
- shields planet from devastating levels of ultraviolet radiation
- (skin cancer, eye defects and cataracts, damages plants and phytoplankton. breaks materials down)
Describe the purpose of the Paris Agreement and the INDCs
- first ever legally binding global climate deal
- goal: reduce emissions with rapid reduction strategies, limit temp increase to 1.5 degC, be transparent and accountable, strengthen ability to deal w climate change, minimize damage and loss, cooperate)
- INDC: intended nationally determined contribution
- sets a goal to be accountable to
Explain the benefits of addressing ozone depletion and climate change at a global level by an international community
- create agreements that hold several nations accountable
- larger impact
Describe the target specified by the United States INDC and explain how this can be accomplished
- reduce GHGs 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025
- improved vehicle efficiency, increased renewable energy, service-oriented economy to reduce industrial emissions, shift away from coal
Explain how well the business-as-usual forecast could meet our targets. Name the predicted changes in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for each main type of GHG.
- 5.4% decrease from 2014 levels by 2025
- slight decrease for electric, slight decrease for transportation, slight decrease for industrial, slight increase for commercial, tiny decrease for residential
Describe how plants are being used to offset GHG emissions and the effectiveness of this strategy
- forests are being used as carbon sinks
- "Optimistic Carbon Sink" scenario projects large sequestration and creates Forest Carbon Accounting Network
- however, high population growth and increased forest conversion and development could minimize these gains
Describe policies and regulations proposed in the climate action plan to further reduce GHG emissions and meet our NDC targets. Name the regulations that could support these efforts (read through all documents and know what is highlighted in the PowerPoint for Exam 4)
- reduce GHGs 50-52% below 2005 levels by 2030
- ELECTRICITY: 100% carbon-pollution-free grid by 2035
- TRANSPORTATION: new efficiency standards for vehicles, funding for alternative transportation infrastructure
- BUILDINGS: gov support for energy efficient heating and cooking, energy codes for buildings (more efficient equipment)
- INDUSTRY: support low or 0 carbon emissions industrial processes and products (indirect and direct emissions)
- AGR+LAND sustainable practices, invest in forest protection and management, coastal resilience and disaster planning, blue carbon (reduce emissions, increase sinks)
- NON-CO2 GHGs: American Innovation and Manufacturing act phase down use of HFCs, plug methane leaks, reduce agr methane and N2O
Describe the source, health effects and environmental impacts of ground-level ozone.
- ground-level ozone forms when emissions of NO and VOCs react in sunlight
- HEALTH: reduced lung function, respiratory symptoms, aggravates lung diseases, increased mortality
- ENVR: injures leaves, reduces photosynthesis, impairs reproduction and growth, decreased yields, decreased uptake of CO2, damage ecosystem structure, reduced biodiversity, global warming
Describe particulate matter and know the associated health and environmental effects
- PM2.5 or PM10
- 5 major categories: sulfate, nitrate, elemental (black) carbon, organic carbon, crustal material
- HEALTH: cardiovascular effects, heart attacks, strokes, respiratory effects
- ENVR: haze, acidification of lakes and streams, changes nutrient balance of coastal waters and river basins, depletes soil nutrients, damages sensitive forests and crops, affects diversity of ecosystems, stain/damage stone
Explain the purpose of the Clean Air Act of 1970 and evaluate how well it has met its goals.
- federal law regulating air emissions from stationary and mobile sources
- authorized EPA to establish air quality standards (NAAQS)
- had to set new dates bc failed originally
- total emissions dropped 65% between 1980 and 2014, despite growth in GDP, vehicle miles travelled, energy consumption, and population
Evaluate whether and how the Clean Water Act has benefited citizens.
- yes
- protects spaces essential for economy and quality of life
Explain the purpose of Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and know the informal term.
- called superfund
- allows EPA to clean up contaminated areas and forces parties responsible to either clean it up themselves or reimburse the government
Describe phytoremediation and how the plant microbiome is involved, using Dr. Doty's research with poplars as an example
- using plants to clean up toxic soil or water
- Doty found that microbes naturally colonize poplar trees, licensed those strains to Intrinsyx Environmental, who used them to keep poplar trees alive in toxic spaces and purify them
Describe the use of plastics in the U.S., including how much waste is produced, our ranking in the world, and our contributions to global efforts to reduce plastic waste.
- leading producer and consumer of plastics
- 2nd in the world for total plastic waste generated (but 1st per capita)
- federal government leaves it up to states, counties, and cities to set plastic legislation
- new proposed fed bill: Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act
Explain how plastics are produced and the consequences of plastic use on human health and the environment
- made from natural gas byproducts: ethane and propane
- turned into plastic polymers in a process called crackling in high-heat facilities
Evaluate differential impacts of local regulations, individual actions, corporate practices and national and international regulation on reducing impacts of plastic waste.
- international and national legislation has the greatest effect
- individual actions are negligible
- corporate practices rarely change without legislation
Describe green infrastructure and explain why cities might incorporate such strategies in their planning.
- Green infrastructure (GI) is a network of decentralized stormwater management practices that can capture and infiltrate rain where it falls, thus reducing stormwater runoff and improving the health of surrounding waterways
- ecological, economic, and social benefits (positively impact energy consumption, air quality, carbon reduction and sequestration, property prices, recreation and other elements of community health)
GREEN ROOF
(a) affects storm water runoff
(b) reduces energy uses
(c) affects air quality
(d) reduces GHG emissions
(a)
- store water in growing media, which is eventually evaporated, reducing runoff
(b)
- Insulation of growing media reduces energy consumption (superior to typical roof insulation)
- Plants reduce solar radiation on roof surface, decreasing temps during summer
- Evaporative cooling from water in growing media
(c)
- veg take up pollutants
- cooling effect reduces smog (slower reaction rate of N2O and VOCs)
- reduce energy consumption
(d)
- carbon sequestration
TREE PLANTING
(a) affects storm water runoff
(b) reduces energy uses
(c) affects air quality
(d) reduces GHG emissions
(a)
- increase infiltration and soil storage of water
- canopies diminish splash erosion
- transpiration minimizes soil moisture, reducing runoff
(b)
- provide shade to buildings
- reduce wind speeds (affects cold in winter)
- release water, cooling air
(c)
- absorb pollutants and intercept particulate matter
- reduce energy consumption
(d)
- carbon sequestration
- reduce energy consumption
BIORETENTION/INFILTRATION
(a) affects storm water runoff
(b) reduces energy uses
(c) affects air quality
(d) reduces GHG emissions
(a)
- store and infiltrate stormwater (mitigates floods, prevents pollution)
(b)
- N/A
(c)
- uptake of pollutants and deposition of particulate matter
- reduce energy by reducing amount of water in treatment facilities
(d)
- reduce energy
- carbon sequestration
PERMEABLE PAVEMENT
(a) affects storm water runoff
(b) reduces energy uses
(c) affects air quality
(d) reduces GHG emissions
(a)
- reduces runoff by allowing infiltration
- less runoff, less water treatment costs
(b)
- lower surrounding air temperatures, reducing demand for cooling systems in buildings
(c)
- reduce water treatment emissions
(d)
- reduce water treatment emissions
- less emissions produced than asphalt or cement
WATER HARVESTING
(a) affects storm water runoff
(b) reduces energy uses
(c) affects air quality
(d) reduces GHG emissions
(a)
- minimize negative effects of runoff
- reduced water treatment needs
(b)
- reduce potable water use
(c)
- reduced energy use, reduced emissions
(d)
- reduced energy use, reduced emissions
Describe the purpose of the OHIO Sustainability and Climate Action Plan.
- road map for next 5 years
- progress towards carbon neutrality
- meet academic requirements of Presidents Carbon Commitment
- enhance lab for sustainability
Describe the goals and benchmarks that Ohio University has set for making our Grounds and Water more sustainable and know how our green infrastructure might help us meet those benchmarks.
- make and maintain healthy+biodiverse landscapes that create sustainability experiential learning opportunities
- reduce emissions from grounds-related activities
- gardens and green roofs, tree planting
- work w communities to protect ground and surface water
- reduce stormwater impacts
- reduce water usage
- trees, retention pond, stormwater management program, green roof
Explain how the goals for Energy, Food and Transportation connect to content discussed in the class.
- energy: reduce fossil fuel reliance, reduce consumption
- food: locavore, social responsibility
- transportation: reduce emissions, efficient+affordable public transport
Describe the environmental problems associated with synthetic carpets. State how much waste was generated by the company Interface before implementing sustainable practices.
- synthetic carpet is made from petroleum
- process releases air and water pollution and solid waste
- interface used 1 billion pounds of oil-derived materials per year and released 6 tons of carpet trimming into landfills per day
Define sustainable and describe how healthy ecosystems are naturally sustainable.
- rely on renewable resources and provide services that help replenish and recycle these resources
Describe an ecological footprint and predict how the footprint by the population of the United States affects the rest of the world
- land needed to provide an entity's resources and assimilate its waste (ha or ac / person or population)
- US has high footprint so it is forced to import resources and export waste
Discuss the relationships between natural capital, natural interest and sustainability.
- natural capital: natural resources
- natural interest: what is produced from natural capital over time (like interest in a bank account), resources we could use but leave behind to build up
- to be sustainable, must only withdraw resources less than or equal to the natural interest
- leaves enough capital to replace what we took
Distinguish between external and internal costs and discuss their relationship to the true costs associated with a product. Describe what is meant by the triple bottom line.
- internal: cost that is accounted for when product/service is priced
- external: aren't reflected in price, such as health impacts or environmental impacts (makes true cost higher)
- triple bottom line: assessment of cost should include economic, social, and environmental
Discuss how ecological economics theory differs from mainstream economic theory. Describe a closed-loop system
- considers long-term impacts on society and the environment
- assumes finite resources and limits to economic growth
- closed loop: product is folded back into resource stream when consumers dispose of it, or is disposed in a way where it can naturally decompose
Discuss whether and how development can be sustainable. Explain how service economies and take back programs might contribute to achieving greater sustainability.
- meet present needs without preventing future generations from meeting their own needs
- can only be sustainable if it focuses more on abstract (ex: quality of life), not physical development
- shift away from production-oriented economy to service economy
Explain how GHG emissions fall into three scopes that corporate systems should consider
SCOPE 1: direct : manufacturing products, the creation of waste, and fueling company vehicles and equipment
SCOPE 2 : indirect from purchased energy : electricity, natural gas, HVAC, refrigeration, and other energy consumption needs
SCOPE 3: indirect from product lifecycle : emissions produced for purchased parts and materials (think microchips to build smartphones) to the end user's use of a product or service (the energy used to power a smartphone).
Name the steps that Interface took to decrease the ecological footprint of the company and how well it has succeeded [you should review all of the readings and know, for the exams, what their current success rate is, based on our discussion in class].
- Cut greenhouse gas emissions by 82 percent
- Cut fossil fuel consumption by 60 percent
- Cut waste by 66 percent
- Cut water use by 75 percent
- Increased sales by 66 percent, doubled earnings, and raised profit margins
