ENVR 100 - waste & urbanization

last 2 lectures after exam 3 (chapters 15 + 16)

waste stream

the steady flow of materials from “upstream” processes, such as extraction, production, and distribution, to their disposal, which is “downstream”

municipal solid waste (MSW)

the waste consumers dispose of from their households and businesses

life cycle assessment (LCA)

an evaluation of the environmental impacts of all the steps involved in making, distributing, using, and ultimately disposing of a product

open dump

unregulated waste disposal in uncovered and openly accessible piles

leachate

a foul-smelling, soupy liquid that forms when rainwater or groundwater mixes with the decomposing waste at the dump

Basel Convention

an international agreement negotiated to restrict movements of hazardous waste from more-developed to less-developed countries

e-waste

waste created from and by electronic devices

incineration

in waste disposal, a technology of controlled combustion at high temperatures with pollution controls in place

isolation

the segregation of waste from significant contact with humans or the wider environment, normally belowground but sometimes in buildings aboveground

sanitary landfill

a disposal site that isolates and contains waste, manages its contents, and treats liquid and gas releases

geologic disposal

injecting or placing waste beneath Earth’s surface

containment building

a structure that isolates the waste from the surrounding area while allowing constant monitoring and retrieval of it

conversion

a disposal strategy where waste is converted to something else useful, such as energy

remediation

the process that converts hazardous waste to less-hazardous substances

primary (1^o) recycling

also called closed-loop recycling, a process that converts waste materials into the same sort of product from which they came

secondary (2^o) recycling

also called open-loop recycling, a process that converts waste material from a product into a different sort of product

consumption

the way we use and dispose of material things

infrastructure

physical structures and facilities such as roads, buildings, and parking lots

urban transition

term referring to the trend of populations becoming more urban and less rural

rural area

a place where populations are more spread out geographically and more reliant on agricultural employment

slum

an urban area characterized by substandard housing , a lack of formal property ownership arrangements, inadequate urban services, and high rates of poverty

suburban sprawl

the spread of urban populations away from the centers of cities to widely dispersed areas that have relatively low population densities

metropolitan area

a cluster of densely populated suburbs and cities

one-use zone

a distinct zone, often in the suburbs, that serves one particular purpose

restrictive covenants

redlining

urban planning

the development of guidelines to shape the future of an urban area

induced traffic

increased traffic and congestion caused by adding lanes to existing roads and highways

modal split

the percentage of travelers in an area using a particular type of transportation to get to work

smart growth

principles of urban planning that emphasize inclusive community processes and aim to reduce suburban sprawl and other negative environmental impacts

transit-oriented development (TOD)

use of design strategies that integrate public transportation and land-use patterns in more sustainable and resilient ways

green infrastructure

the wide variety of green spaces that can be incorporated into urban life

conspicuous consumption

consumption intended to be seen, how people purchase certain goods to project particular identities within society (such as clothing being thrown out because they are perceived as unfashionable)

pedestrian-oriented development (POD)

use of design strategies that integrate pedestrian travel and land-use patterns in more sustainable and resilient ways