ENV105 Chapter 15-16

waste/ garbage

the things we determine to be unusable or unwanted

smart growth

uses inclusive community processes to determine how to incorporate urban growth to meet the needs of residents while avoiding the negative consequences of sprawl and environmental impacts

networds

cities act as ___________ of connections, allowing people, things, and information to mix

rural areas

places where population density is lower and residents rely more on agricultural jobs

combustion

involves burning waste, which reduces its volume and provides heat but causes serious fires and air pollution

• complete and permanent isolation is impossible

• leachate eventually escapes and contaminates

  • can become hazardous pollutants

• disposal tanks, containment buildings, and impoundment ponds can develop leaks

• landfills produce significant greenhouse gas emissions, largest human-generated source of methane gas

problems associated with landfills

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

solid waste

the broader category of waste that includes all discarded material in solid, liquid, semisolid, or contained gaseous form

life cycle assessment

accounts for all the environmental impacts of all the steps involved in making and disposing of a product in a “cradle-to-grave” appraoch

open dumps

uncovered openly accessible piles known, unregulated water disposal areas

methane and carbon dioxide

examples of greenhouse gases, created as waste breaks down and decomposes

methane

a result of anoxic or low-oxygen environments, which, along with carbon dioxide, can chemically react with paints and adhesives to release hazardous air pollutants

leachate

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

ocean dumping

the disposal of waste materials directly into the ocean, which can harm marine life and ecosystems.

Basel Convention

an international agreement restricting transboundary movement of household and hazardous waste from more developed to less developed countries

e-waste

waste created from and by electronic devices, contains valuable materials and hazardous materials

isolation

the dominant disposal strategy; the segregation of waste from significant contact with humans or the wider environment, normally below the surface but sometimes in buildings above ground

sanitary landfill

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

geologic disposal

an isolation strategy; injecting or placing waste beneath Earth’s surface

containment buildings

structures that isolate the waste from the surrounding area while allowing constant monitoring and retrieval

landfills (about 37%)

largest human-generated sources of methane

incineration

technology of controlled combustion at high temperatures with pollution controls in place

mass burn

used by ¾ of all incinerators, technology that combust unprocessed waste on a moving grate system

refuse-derived fuel

uses dehydrated waste pellets where non-combustibles like glass and metal are removed before burning can also increase efficiency

conversion

a disposal strategy where waste is converted to something else useful, most often generating electricity

waste-to-energy facilities

places where the heat most produced by incineration is used to power a steam turbine that generates electricity

bioreactor landfill

a disposal strategy using injected water and air to accelerate decomposition, reduce the volume of waste, and reduce methane production due to aeration

remediation

processes that use microorganisms and enzymes, fungi, or plants in controlled conditions to dispose of hazardous waste

bioremediation

uses microorganisms and enzymes to reduce toxic substances like pesticides and polychlorinated biphemyls (PCBs)

mycoremeditation

uses fungi to reduce toxic substances like pesticides and polychlorinated biphemyls (PCBs)

phytoremediation

uses plants to reduce toxic substances like pesticides and polychlorinated biphemyls (PCBs)

40%

____ of the food produced in the US is uneaten and wasted, which amounts to billions per year

composting

a form of recycling that decomposes and converts food waste into organic material that can be used to grow crops

recycling

a strategy of redefining “waste” as “resources” for new products, thus diverting materials from the waste stream

primary recycling (closed-loop recycling)

a process that converts waste materials into the same sort of product from which they came, such as aluminum cans

secondary recycling (open-loop recycling), e.g. downcycling

a process that converts waste material from a product into a different sort of product, such as turning water bottles into fleece jackets

design for recovery guidelines

establishes standards for the manufacture of materials and products to facilitate efficient recycling

human waste

major cause of water pollution globally

biosolids

treated sewage sludge used as fertilizer in agriculture and landscaping.

biodegradable plastics, makes it difficult to sort from PET resin plastics

typically made from polyactic acid (PLA) resin

PLA plastics

made from plant material like corn and can be assimilated back into the environment but are hard to compost with food waste because they do not degrade as quickly

PET plastics

petroleum-based and must be removed from food waste recycling

consumption

the ways we use and dispose of material things plays an important cultural role in our lives

conspicuous consumption

happens when people purchase certain goods to project particular identities or images within society, like designer brands

culture

the systematic, learned, and shared understandings and behaviors of a particular group

dose certa certification program

awarded to restaurants that meet waste reduction targets following monitoring of waste streams, common in Europe

producer responsibility laws

requires manufactures of products and packaging to take responsibility for collection, recycling, reuse, or disposal of their products, including e-waste

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

a 10-million square mile ocean area with a combination of plastic flakes intermixed with other plastic items

urban transition

where populations became more urban and less rural

urban areas

places where large numbers of people live together in relatively dense settlements and work nonagricultural jobs

urban penalty

health problems associated with urban living

urban density

the number of residents per unit of space, results in benefits due to an economy of scale

economy of scale

where the per capita cost for services decreases because of the increasing scale of operations

slum

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

bright lights syndrome

the perception that cities are places of greater opportunity, excitement, and freedom

informal economy

comprised of the small entrepreneurial ventures that operate beyond the reach of government regulation and taxation

suburban sprawl

the spread of urban populations away from city centers to widely dispersed areas that have relatively lower population--densities

]sprawl

occurs when policies increase the supply of land for development while reducing the transportation costs associated with commuting

metropolitan area (metropolis)

clusters of densely populated suburbs and cities

one-use zones

distinct zones that serve one particular purpose

way to measure variations in residential development, dwelling units per acre

DU/acre

floor to area ratio (FAR)

the total floor space of a building and the area of land it is built upon

• consumes previously undeveloped lands

• reduces pedestrian travel

• increases average vehicle ownership and miles traveled per capita

effects of suburban sprawl

creates an indirect route from houses to shopping areas or schools that is less pedestrian-friendly

result of curved and disconnected suburban patterns

allowed more direct routes with greater pedestrian access

results of the traditional grid pattern

redlining

the systematic denial of services or resources to specific neighborhoods, typically affecting minority populations, resulting in segregation and economic disparity.

Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956

legislation that provided $26 billion for more than 41,000 miles of roadways throughout the country, allowed rapid access to and from new suburban areas which made older urban areas less accessible and attractive

urban planning

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

planner’s dilemma

the challenge urban planners face in balancing growth, sustainability, and community needs while dealing with limited resources.

induced traffic

where increased traffic and congestion are caused by adding lanes or building more highways to existing roads and highways

modal split

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

mixed-use areas

where housing, shops, restaurants, grocery stores, offices, and public amenities are all within a half-mile of public transportation

bus rapid transit

when the bus system is given dedicated lanes and traffic signal priority; can be more sucessful transit for less cost

Transit-oriented development (TOD)

a term for design strategies to integrate public transportation and land-use patters in more sustainable and resilient ways

Pedestrian-oriented development (POD)

a term for design strategies to emphasize pedestrian travel

green infrastructure

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

extraction, production, distribution

upstream processes

disposal

downstream waste stream

solid waste

a larger category than MSW and includes waste generated for a product from cradle to grave

• leaks from drilling accidents

• cracked well linings

• shattered rock, destabilized geologic faults, and earthquakes

problems associated with deep-well injections include..

infrastructure

includes the physical structure and facilities (roads, buildings, parking lots) that extend across suburban landscapes

megalopis

defined as a chain of adjacent metropolitan areas