Sustainability Exam 2

Weather

Changes over hours or days

Climate

Average weather conditions, changes over decades

Carbon Footprint

The total carbon dioxide emissions produced by an individual or group

Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED)

Certification program that recognizes sustainable building practices and strategies

Positive Feedback Loop

Causes a system to change further in the same direction (ex: sun melting glacier)

Negative Feedback Loop

Causes a system to change in the opposite direction from which it is moving (ex: sweating to maintain temp)

Ozone (O3)

Secondary pollutant made up of three oxygen atoms, NOx and VOCs contribute to its formation, stratosphere and troposphere

Peak Oil

global production of oil reaches its maximum, after which production will gradually decline

Renewable Energy

From a source that is not depleted when used

Nonrenewable Energy

Cannot be replaced once used

Hydropower

Generated from the energy of moving water

Geothermal Energy

From steam produced from hot or molten underground rocks

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

Evaluates the environmental impact of a product or service

Green Building

The practice of developing environmentally responsible and resource-efficient buildings

Fusion

Joins two light elements, forming a heavier element

Fission

Splits a heavy element to release energy (nuclear fission)

Photovoltaic Energy

Energy associated with the direct conversion of solar radiation to electricity

Environmental Sinks

Natural systems that absorb waste

Example of Environmental Sink

Oceans, forest, atmosphere

Greenhouse Gas Effect

Global warming caused by more heat being trapped near the Earth by GHG

Most Prevalent GHGs

CO2, methane, N2O, Fluorinated gases

What creates GHG?

Burning fossil fuels and other human activities

Environmental Impacts of Climate Change

Increasing temp, melting glaciers, rising sea levels, extreme weather events, biodiversity loss

Minerals in the Earth

Phosphorus, uranium, coal, iron, copper, gold, salt, limestone

How to obtain minerals

Mining and drilling

Pros of Solar Energy

Renewable, cost-effective, passive adsorption, no electronics or moving parts

Cons of Solar Energy

Low efficiency, expensive, finite lifetime, heavy metal disposal may cause contamination

Pros of Wind Energy

Renewable, minimal waste and water use, stronger at higher altitudes, high output

Cons of Wind Energy

Noisy, kills birds, ruins the landscape, variable wind generation

Pros of Hydropower (dams)

Renewable, high net energy, low CO2 output, reliable, long lifetime

Cons of hydropower (dams)

Erosion and sedimentation, loss of aquatic life, eutrophication, large footprint

Pros of Biofuels

Renewable, reliable, small footprint, treatment of biomass

Cons of Biofuels

Limited by photosynthesis efficiency, produces CO2, low energy production

Pros of Geothermal

Renewable, reliable, energy efficient, cost-effective, clean

Cons of Geothermal

Emits hazardous gases and steams, difficult to harness

Types of Radiation

Alpha, Beta, Gamma

Most Harmful Radiation

Gamma

Why would you perform an LCA?

Discover the environmental impacts over a product's life cycle

What shale types are found under this area?

Marcellus

Components of an LCA

1. Goal and scope definition

2. Inventory analysis

3. Impact assessment

4. Interpretation

Functional Unit

Measured performance of product so it can be used as a reference point

Biofuels

Liquid fuels created from processed or refined biomass

Indium

Very soft, can become a liquid, conducts electricity, indium tin-oxide makes touchscreen (transparent electrical conductor)

Rhenium

Durable, high melting point, used in jet engines, waste product from copper mining

Neodymium

Strongest permanent magnet, generates electricity by spinning a magnet inside a coil of wire

Lithium

Very light, highly reactive, used in batteries and solar panels for its high energy storage capacity

Helium

Liquid is used in MRI scanners, very low freezing point, superfluid liquid helium can flow through solid materials with little friction

Tungsten Carbide

Hard, not brittle, won't break or scratch

Kyoto Protocol

(2005) Controlling global warming by setting greenhouse gas emissions targets for developed countries

Three Gorges Dam

Built in Chang Jiang in China, to help control flooding, generate power, and allow ships to sail farther into China

P2E2 Audit (Pollution Prevention & Energy Efficiency)

Environmental assessment to reduce waste, emissions, and energy use, make operations more sustainable