ENVR101 Waste (Weeks 1-3)

What is the Environment Act 1986's definition of an environment?

a) 'ecosystems and their constituent parts including people and communities'

b) all natural and physical resource

c) those physical qualities and characteristics of an area that contribute to people's appreciation of its pleasantness, aesthetic coherence, and cultural and recreational attributes

d) the social, economic, aesthetic, and cultural conditions which affect the matters stated in paragraphs (a) to (c) or which affected by those matters

When was Environmental Science developed as a discipline?

Environmental Science was developed around the 1960s

What are some events which led to the development of environmental science?

Some events leading to the development of environmental science are:

- Industrial revolution

- 'Silent Spring' by Rachel Carson

- Acid rain in North America/Europe in the '70s

- Discovery of hole in Ozone layer in 1970s

While environmental science is a discipline, it's also a ...

It's also a lens, which uses an integrated, quantitative and interdisciplinary approach

Effects of NZ Ozone layer Protection Regulations 1996

- prohibited the import and manufacture of new substances (mostly man-made) and those contained in manufactured products

- restricted imports to recycled substance, in bulk, and reduces the annual quantity over time of recycled substances that can be imported into the country

What did the 1987 Montreal Protocol do?

The 1987 Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer cut production of cholrofluorocarbons (CFC's) worldwide

What are chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's)?

CFC's are a substance identified in 1974 to break down under UV light in the atmosphere releasing chlorine, which breaks down the ozone layer

What is The Great Acceleration?

The Great Acceleration is the post-1950s period in human history which has seen a huge rise in global economic activity and an improved standard of living for millions of people, but unfortunately resulted in the degradation of ecosystems and biodiversity loss among various other unprecedented changes in the global climate system

What are the 5 drivers of change in biodiversity?

The 5 key drivers of change in biodiversity are:

1) changes in land and sea use

2) direct exploitation of organisms

3) climate change

4) pollution

5) invasive alien species

What are some effects of climate change?

Some effects of climate change are:

- Rising temperatures

- Loss of sea ice

- Ocean acidification

- Altered ecosystem

What are some ways that climate change affects human health?

Climate change can affect human health via:

- weather-related deaths (heatwaves, cold blasts)

- area become more suitable for hosting infectious diseases

- air quality-related respiratory illnesses (e.g. warmer, wetter conditions allow for more fungal species)

How much of the terrestrial and marine environment have been severely altered?

In 2019 Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity estimated that 75% of the terrestrial environment and 40% of the marine environment are severely altered

What is anthropocene defaunation?

Anthropocene defaunation is the loss of fauna in our time

How does the human mass compare to the mass of wild mammals?

Currently the mass of humans is 10 times greater than the mass of wild mammals combines (6th great extinction)

How many species are currently threatened?

An estimated 1 million plant and animal species are threatened, more than at any other time in human history

Where have extinction trends been less severe?

Extinction trends have been less severe or avoided in areas held or managed by indigenous/local communities

How much land surface and freshwater resources are now devoted to crop and livestock production?

Over 1/3 of the world's land surface and nearly 75% of freshwater resources are now devoted to crop and livestock production

Which ecosystems have the highest levels of biodiversity on Earth?

Tropical ecosystems have the highest levels of biodiversity on Earth

How much tropical rainforest was destroyed from 1980-2000?

100 million hectares of tropical rainforest were destroyed between 1980-2000

Ecosystem services definition

Ecosystem services are benefits people derive from ecosystems

What are the ecosystem services?

Ecosystem services:

- Provisioning - production of food/water

- Regulating - control of climate and disease

- Supporting - nutrient cycles and crop pollination

- Cultural - spiritual and recreational benefits

UN definition of natural resources

Natural assets occurring in nature that can be used for economic production or consumption

What are some renewable natural resources?

Renewable natural resources:

- Sunlight

- Wind

- Water

- Biomass

What are some non-renewable resources?

Non-renewable resources:

- Coal and other fossil fuels

- Minerals

How much textiles are landfilled or incinerated?

Approx. 73% of textiles are landfilled or incinerated

What was the 1972 Stockholm declaration?

Principle 2: "The Natural resources of the earth, including the air, water, land, flora and fauna and especially representative samples of natural ecosystems, must be safeguarded for the benefit of present and future generations through careful planning or management"

How much biodiversity loss and water stress does resource extraction and processing cause?

90% of biodiversity loss and water stress are caused by resource extraction

How much of the global economy is circular?

Only 8.6% of the global economy is circular

What is a circular economy?

A circular economy is an economic system aimed at eliminating waste and the continual use of resources.

How much Greenhouse Gas emissions does natural resource extraction account for?

Natural resource extraction accounts for 50% of Greenhouse Gas emissions

What is decoupling?

Decoupling is the idea of separating economic growth from environmental impact

What are some of the main water uses in Aotearoa New Zealand?

Some of the main water uses in NZ include:

- Irrigation

- Drinking

- Industrial

- Hydroelectricity

What are some drivers of change in water use in New Zealand?

Some drivers of change in NZ water use include:

- Amount of irrigated land has doubled

- Shift from sheep + beef to dairy

- Decrease in average annual precipitation

What are some effects of taking freshwater?

Some effects of taking water:

- Dams change river and ecology, causing barriers to migration for some species

- Degraded ecosystem

- Materials such as gravel that would normally move through start settling

- Some fish species can't live in warmer water/less O2

- Mauri of water is damaged

What are some options for reducing water consumption?

Some options for reducing water consumption:

- Reduced use of water in agriculture + industry

- Recycling of water, "sewer mining", which is culturally unacceptable in NZ

- Education

- Use seawater for flushing toilets (done in Hong Kong)

How much has natural resource use increased since 1970?

Humanity's natural resource use has tripled since 1970 and is still growing

2017 Global resource use

In 2017, 44 billion tonnes of sand, gravel and clay were extracted, and 9 billion tonnes of metal was used

What is a renewable natural resource?

A renewable natural resource is a resource that after exploitation can return to their previous stock levels by natural processes of growth or replenishment

What are some renewable resources in New Zealand?

Some NZ renewable resources include:

- Water

- Wind

- Biomass

- Trees

What is a non-renewable natural resource?

A non-renewable natural resource is an exhaustible natural resource such as minerals that can't be regenerated after exploitation

What are some non-renewable resources in NZ?

Some NZ non-renewable resources are:

- Oil

- Gas

- Coal

- Gravel + sand

- Minerals (metallic and non-metallic)

What is a tipping point?

A tipping point is the minimum amount of change within a system that will shift it from one state to another

Some examples are:

- Oil spill

- Loss of coral reefs due to increased temperature

- Loss of Aral Sea due to irrigation pressures

- Melting of the permafrost in the arctic releasing gases

What is the precautionary principle?

The precautionary principle is the opposite of the burden of proof - cautious until proven safe. It was introduced in the '70s and enshrined in several international environmental treaties

What is the essence of sustainability?

In essence, sustainability is about meeting the needs of today without adversely impacting on the needs of tomorrow

What are some traits of 1991's NZ Resource Management Act?

Effects based, enables communities to participate in decisions (in theory)

What are some of the UNEP panel's recommendations for reducing sand use?

UNEP International Resource Panel recommendations:

- Map sand mining

- Foster sand governance

- Use alternatives to sand

How much solid waste is produced in New Zealand?

There are 3.2 tonnes of solid waste per person in NZ

How much waste in NZ is reused or recycled?

35% of NZ waste is reused or recycled

Why is landfill a poor waste disposal option?

Landfills are a poor waste disposal option because:

- They use vulnerable land

- Breakdown of organic waste in landfills produces 4% of methane emissions

- Even the best designed/managed landfills will eventually fail

- There is a need to manage leachate and airborne emissions

- At risk to climate-related hazards

What are some challenges with solid waste management in New Zealand?

Some challenges with solid waste management in New Zealand are that recycling infrastructure isn't set up for all waste streams, waste management practices are inconsistent between regions, and other countries are now refusing to accept waste

What is waste colonisation?

Waste colonisation is the practice of exporting waste from higher to lower-income countries, particularly countries with less ability to manage the consequences

Why can't we just recycle everything?

Some reasons why we can't recycle everything are:

- Recycling processes use energy and water and can be a source of pollution

- Chemical composition of products may limit use of recycled materials

- Products need to be designed for end of life re-use + recycling

- Mixed nature of products makes recycling difficult as materials may need to be separated

When was NZ's first ban on single-use plastic bags instituted?

2019

How much has plastic production increased since 1950?

Plastic production has increased from 1.9 tons worldwide in 1950 ton 330 million tons in 2013

How many macroplastics enter the world's oceans per year?

5-12 million tons of plastics enter the world's oceans per year

How small is a microplastic?

A microplastic is a plastic less than 5mm wide

What are some chemicals of concern in plastics?

Some chemicals of concern in plastics include flame retardants, bisphenols, PFAs, phtalates, etc.

Why are there more microplastics in soil than aquatic environments?

There are microplastics in soil due to use of fertilisers and pesticides, increasing use of plastics in horticulture, use of plastics in construction and agriculture, and also atmospheric deposition

What is a dead zone?

A dead zone is a polluted, oxygen-starved patch of ocean

How much waste enters landfills in NZ?

In NZ about 5% of waste enters landfills, an average of 44kg per person each year

How much waste does construction and demolition account for in NZ?

40-50% of total waste to landfill in NZ

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous mineral which is a confirmed human carcinogen-mesothelioma

What is the triple planetary crisis?

The term 'triple planetary crisis' refers to the interlinked crises; pollution, climate change and biodiversity loss

What is an environmental limit?

An environmental limit is 'the critical point(s) at which pressure on a natural resource or system creates unreasonable or irreversible change to the resource or system itself, to the detriment of the humans and other organisms to which it provides a service'

What are tipping points?

Small changes in condition of a system lead to large abrupt changes in the function and structure of a system

What are planetary boundaries?

Safe operating space for humanity

What is sustainable development?

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Triple Planetary Crisis

climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution

Plastic effect on wildlife

The past decade there has been a 40% increase in wildlife entanglement

Examples of planetary boundaries

Climate change, ocean acidification, nitrogen and phosphorus cycles, global freshwater use