Conservation

 You will use the PowerPoint to create a brochure on conservation.  You can be creative  Put the information in your own words  Include at least a summary of all information  Do Not Copy word for word Assignment

 Recycling  collecting and processing of used items so they can be made into new products  Reuse  use of item over and over  Reduce  limit amount of non-recyclable materials used Three “R’s” of Conservation

 Although fossil fuels are nonrenewable and in limited supply, industrialized countries continue to consume these resources at ever increasing rates. Conservation of Energy Resources

 The best way to meet energy needs is a combination of improved energy efficiency and increased use of locally available, renewable energy resources. Conservation of Energy Resources

 Energy efficiency is the use of energy resources in the ways that are most productive. Energy Efficiency Conservation of Energy Resources Using resources more efficiently is a type of conservation.

 How can energy efficiency be improved? Energy Efficiency Conservation of Energy Resources –People can recycle old appliances and vehicles and purchase newer, more energy-efficient models as well as improve the energy efficiency of older homes. –Local power companies can use energy from alternative resources in areas where they are available to reduce dependence on petroleum. –Governments can offer tax savings to people who buy more efficient vehicles and appliances, and provide funding for research and development projects related to energy efficiency.

Conservation of Energy Resources Energy Efficiency Conservation of Energy Resources –There are many ways that you could conserve energy at home, at school, and in the workplace, such as simply turning lights off when you leave a room. –Conserving energy is, in the long run, less expensive than finding new energy sources.

 Higher energy demand requires a greater supply and results in higher costs. Getting More for Less Conservation of Energy Resources In the United States, approximately 43 percent of the energy used by motor vehicles and to heat homes and businesses is wasted. Shifting to the more efficient use of energy rather than the search for more energy would reduce demand, thus lowering the total cost of energy.

Cogeneration Getting More for Less Conservation of Energy Resources –Waste heat, which could be recovered and used to produce another form of energy, is given off when power plants generate electricity. –Cogeneration is the production of two usable forms of energy, such as steam and electricity, at the same time from the same process. –Cogeneration can produce income and reduce the need for additional energy resources.

Improving Efficiency in Transportation Getting More for Less Conservation of Energy Resources –Conservation practices can help reduce dependency on the fuel resources used for transportation. The use of fuel-efficient vehicles and driving at lower speeds reduces the amount of petroleum resources consumed by motor vehicles. Using bicycles, public transportation, or carpooling reduces the number of vehicles on the roads which in turn reduces gasoline consumption. Computers and access to the Internet allow more jobs to be performed from home.

Improving Efficiency in Industry Getting More for Less Conservation of Energy Resources –Cogeneration has allowed some industries to increase production while leveling off their energy use in part by the use of more efficient machinery. –Industries can further improve their energy efficiency by making greater efforts to reduce their use of both materials and the energy used to produce those materials.

Increasing Efficiency at Home Getting More for Less Conservation of Energy Resources –The use of energy-efficient appliances can significantly reduce energy consumption. –The use of building materials and windows with high insulation values (R-values) can significantly reduce energy consumption. –Incorporating passive and active solar heating in new buildings can reduce the consumption of traditional energy resources. –New buildings that are designed to save energy cost more initially, but they can save money and resources in the long run.

 Energy resources on Earth are interrelated, meaning that they affect one another. Sustainable Energy Conservation of Energy Resources Sustainable energy involves the global management of Earth’s natural resources to meet current and future energy needs without causing environmental damage. A good management plan incorporates both conservation and energy efficiency. Global cooperation can help ensure the necessary balance between protection of the environment and economic growth.

 What can we do to conserve our resources? Conservation

 Use alternate fuel cars.

 Conserve on water use. Conservation

 Recycle as much as possible. Conservation

 Use other forms of energy.  Solar, hydro, hydrogen, geothermal, etc. Conservation

Reducing Solid Waste Refuse: to buy items that we really don’t need. Reduce: consume less and live a simpler and less stressful life by practicing simplicity. Reuse: rely more on items that can be used over and over. Repurpose: use something for another purpose instead of throwing it away. Recycle: paper, glass, cans, plastics…and buy items made from recycled materials.

Governments fight waste and litter Some government address a major source of litter and waste: plastic grocery bags -Grocery bags can take centuries to decompose -They choke and entangle wildlife and cause litter -100 billion of them are discarded each year in the U.S. Many governments have banned nonbiodegradable bags Companies maximize sales by producing short-lived goods -Increasing the longevity of goods also reduces waste

Reuse is a main strategy to reduce waste Items can be used again Use durable goods used instead of disposable ones Donate items to resale centers (Goodwill and the Salvation Army) Other actions include: -Rent or borrow items instead of buying them -Bring your own cup to coffee shops -Buy rechargeable batteries -Make double-sided copies -Use cloth napkins instead of paper ones

Composting recovers organic waste Composting = the conversion of organic waste into mulch or humus through natural decomposition -It can be used to enrich soil Home composting: -Householders place waste into composting piles, underground pits, or specially constructed containers -Heat from microbial action builds up and decomposition proceeds -Earthworms, bacteria, and other organisms convert waste into high-quality compost

Municipal composting programs These programs divert food and yard waste from the waste stream to central composting facilities -The resulting mulch can be used for gardens and landscaping Half of U.S. states now ban yard wastes from the municipal waste stream -Accelerating the move to composting Municipal composting reduces landfill waste -Enriches soil and encourages soil biodiversity -Makes healthier plants and more pleasing gardens -Reduces the need for chemical fertilizers

RECYCLING Primary (closed loop) recycling: materials are turned into new products of the same type. Secondary recycling: materials are converted into different products. -Used tires shredded and converted into rubberized road surface. -Newspapers transformed into cellulose insulation.

Recycling consists of three steps Recycling = collecting materials that can be broken down and reprocessed to manufacture new items -Recycling diverted 61 million tons of materials away from U.S. incinerators and landfills in 2008 Step 1 = collection and processing of recyclable materials through curbside recycling or designated locations -Materials recovery facilities (MRFs) = workers and machines sort, clean, shred, and prepare items

The second and third steps of recycling Step 2 = using recyclables to produce new goods -Many products use recycled materials Step 3 = consumers buy goods made from recycled materials -Must occur if recycling is to function -As markets expand, prices will fall

Recycling has grown rapidly and can expand The growth of recycling is “One of the best environmental success stories ….” U.S. recycling rates vary -Depending on the product and state Greenhouse gas emissions equal to 10 billion gallons of gas are prevented each year The U.S. recycles 24.4% of its waste stream

Growth in recycling results from: Municipalities’ desire to reduce waste The public’s satisfaction in recycling Recycling may not be profitable -It is expensive to collect, sort, and process materials -Plus, the more material that is recycled, the lower the price But market forces do not take into account the health and environmental effects of not recycling -There are enormous energy and material savings

We can recycle materials from landfills Businesses are weighing the benefits of salvaging materials in landfills that can be recycled -Metals (steel, copper) -Organic waste for compost -Harvesting methane leaking from open dumps in Asia and Africa These approaches work when market prices are high -But costs and regulatory requirements have made investing in landfill mining risky

Reusing Reusing products is an important way to reduce resource use, waste, and pollution in developed countries. Reusing can be hazardous in developing countries for poor who scavenge in open dumps. -They can be exposed to toxins or infectious diseases.

A Canadian city showcases reduction and recycling Edmonton, Alberta has one of the most advanced waste management programs -Waste: 40% is landfilled, 15% is recycled, 45% is composted -90% of the people participate in curbside recycling It produces 80,000 tons/year in its composting plant Its state-of-the-art MRF handles 30,000– 40,000 tons of waste annually

Edmonton, Alberta’s waste management Waste is dumped in the composting plant -The plant is the size of eight football fields Each year the plant produces: -80,000 tons of compost -Gas to power 4,600 home -Thousands of dollars for the city

How People Reuse Materials Children looking for materials to sell in an open dump in the Philippines.

Financial incentives can address waste “ Pay-as-you-throw” approach = uses financial incentives to influence consumer behavior -The less waste a house generates, the less it is charged for trash collection Bottle bills = consumers receive a refund for returning used bottles -They are profoundly successful -But beverage industries and groceries fight them

Superfund Experts identify polluted sites, take action to protect groundwater near these sites, and clean up the pollution The EPA must clean up brownfields -Lands whose reuse or development is complicated by the presence of hazardous materials Two events spurred creation of Superfund legislation -In Love Canal, Niagara Falls, New York, in 1978– 1980, families were evacuated after buried chemicals rose to the surface -Times Beach, Missouri, was evacuated after contamination with dioxin from oil sprayed on roads