1. Unit 7: Green Living Environmental Science

2. Sustainable Living  A Lifestyle  Attempts to reduce an individual’s or society’s use of Earth’s natural resources.  Altering methods of transportation, energy consumption, and diet.

3. History  1950’s: Article titled “Living the Good Life” published. Marked the beginning of the modern day sustainable living movement.  1960’s-70’s: Multiple books/articles published about sustainable living… Hippies  1980’s-Present: United Nations held series of conferences focused on increasing sustainability within societies to conserve Earth’s resources.

4. Where can sustainability be increased?  Shelter  Power  Food  Transportation  Water  Waste

5. Shelter  Sustainable Homes  Built using green materials, green practices, and enable a more sustainable lifestyle.  Close to essential services (grocery, schools, work, or public transit).  “Off-the-grid” homes = Do not require any public energy, water, or sewer service.

6. Shelter cont.  “Green” Homes…  Create as little of a neg. impact on surrounding ecosystem as possible.  Oriented to the sun (natural shading/wind barriers)  Use passive energy methods as much as possible.

7. Shelter cont.  “Total Green” must meet certain criteria:  Resource efficient  Not compromise indoor air quality or water conservation.  Be energy efficient  Using as much recycled/reused, locally available, longest lasting materials possible.

8. Sustainable Building Materials  Low VOC Paint  Bamboo Flooring  Wool Carpeting  Cotton Batt Insulation  Ecological Concrete  Paper Insulation Panels

9. Green Building Practices  Insulation:  Strips between rafters/studs  Solid (foam/spray)  Glazed/gas windows  Green Roofs (“living roofs”):  Roof made of living material to reduce heat absorption and collect rain water  Greywater:  Water from washing machines, sinks, showers etc. collected and used for irrigation.

13. Power  Sustainable living requires use of sustainable energy.  Renewable power sources (biomass, water, geothermal, wind, and solar).  Some produce own or purchase “green” power from power company.  6/50 states do not offer green energy.

14. Power cont.  Net and Double Metering  Net metering: uses common power meter that runs forward when power is used from the grid, and backward when power put back (from green source).  Double metering: uses two installed meters, one measuring power used, other measuring power created.  Energy credits, sell power, charge batteries, etc.

16. Food  Industrial food production:  Highly resource/energy insensitive.  Heavy irrigation, pesticide/fertilizers, tillage, etc.  Average American meal costs 1500 miles, and takes 10 cal of fuel to produce 1 cal of food.

17. Food cont.  Sustainable food:  Buying local/seasonal food.  Reduces carbon output (less transport)  Stimulates local economy.  Small scale farmers typically use less chemical/fertilizers.

18. Food cont.  Buying organic:  Based on minimal use of off-farm inputs, and management practices that promotes and enhances ecosystem harmony.  Urban gardening:  Community/private gardens growing own food.

19. Transportation  Current auto industry is not sustainable.  Oil concerns  Prices/availability  Supply will run out ~50 yrs.

20. Transportation Alternatives  Low-cost public transit  Buses, trains, etc.  Bike/walking paths  Car-pooling  Hybrids

21. Water  Currently humans use ¼ of the earth’s total freshwater in natural circulation, and over ½ of the accessible runoff.  Increase sustainability by…  Home appliance efficiency  Outdoor water use  Daily water use awareness

22. Water cont.  Toilets account for over 30% of indoor water use.  Low-flow (1-2 gal vs. 3-5 gal)  Duel-flush (less for #1, more for #2)  Showers, sinks, dishwashers  Valves/fixtures (low flow)  Fixing leaks

24. Outdoor water use  Sustainable use of…  Drought resistant plants (less water required)  Native plants to area  Use of eco-friendly mulch (prevent evaporation)

25. Waste  3 R’s  Reduce: Less materials used (switch to online)  Reuse: Produce less trash  Recycle: Used products are remanufactured to produce new