Eco-design & Waste mitigation
Design that considers manufacture to disposal.
What is Cradle to Grave?
Designing in a way that considers the environmental impact throughout a product's life
What is green design?
Why are some hardwood trees, like Mahogany, often classified as non-renewable even though they are biological?
They take hundreds of years to regrow, which is not a "reasonable amount of time" for sustainable use.
A battery works by converting this form of stored energy into electrical energy.
Chemical Energy.
To reduce waste and require a minimum amount of non-renewable resources.
Goal of "Clean Technology"
This kind of energy focuses on materials, energy and waste
What is eco design?
Relates to a resource that can be replenished over time and is inexhaustible, for example, hardwood resources considered nonrenewable could be renewed if all extraction of the resource ceased and the hardwood resources were allowed to re-grow
What is renewability?
Using less material or energy in the creation and use of a product.
What is the central concept of "Dematerialization"?
This type of non-rechargeable "throw-away" battery uses a zinc container as an anode and a carbon rod to conduct current.
Zinc-Carbon Battery.
What is the difference between an Incremental Solution and a Radical Solution?
Incremental is evolution (small, gradual steps using existing tech); Radical is revolution (completely new products/tech in one big step).
Pre production, production, distribution and packaging, utilisation, disposal
What are the stages of the Life Cycle Analysis?
A natural resource that can replenish with the passage of time or does not abate at all
This term refers to the total amount of energy consumed by a product throughout its entire life cycle, from extraction to disposal.
What is Embodied Energy?
This rechargeable battery type is the most common choice for portable consumer electronics like cell phones and laptops.
Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) Battery.
Why might a company choose to implement clean technology voluntarily, even if it cuts into their profits?
To promote a positive brand image, avoid bad media attention (which hurts sales), and pressure from local communities.
Strategies used to reduce the waste produced by a product or in the production and disposal of a product.
What are waste mitigation strategies?
What is a resource?
What is the difference between "Repair" and "Recondition"?
Repair involves fixing a broken part; Recondition involves rebuilding a product so it is "as new" (e.g., retreading tires).
It is highly rechargeable and can provide a high surge of voltage needed to start the engine.
Lead-Acid battery
What is meant by "End-of-Pipe Technology," and what is one specific example?
Technology that reduces pollutants at the final stage of a process. Examples: Smoke stack filters or Carbon Capture and Sequestration.
A cycle where everything is used as long as possible and recovered at the end
What is Circular Economy?
A system that is more efficient in producing energy and another of its outputs are also used
What is Combined Heat and Power?
In the European Union, what is the name of the legislation that requires manufacturers to accept their products back from consumers at the end of their life?
What is Take-back Legislation.
Unlike a battery, this electronic component stores a small electrical charge temporarily to help even out the flow of electricity.
A Capacitor.
What is "Planned Obsolescence," and why does Eco-design try to avoid it?
When products are designed to become useless quickly. Eco-design increases durability so products last longer and require fewer new resources.