The Planet Earth
Which of the following greenhouse gases is the biggest contributor to global warming?
A. Carbon dioxide
B. Water vapor
C. Methane
A. Carbon dioxide
Which country generates nearly 100% of its energy through geothermal and hydro reserves?
Iceland
Approximately how many people participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the world’s largest secular observance?
A. 500 million
B. 1 billion
C. 3 billions
B. 1 billion
How many times can paper be recycled ?
5 to 7 times, each time to a lower-quality product
Which of the following is a sign of climate change?
A. Increase in extreme weather events
B. Tectonic plates shifting
C. Decreasing sea levels
A. Increase in extreme weather events
Around what proportion of the world’s fisheries are currently pushed beyond their biological limits?
A. 1/3
B. 1/5
C. 1/10
A. 1/3
What is the US's biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions?
generating electricity
Name one sustainability initiative or organization on campus.
The UofT trash team
The CECCS
The "Eliminate steam generation for heating" project
The Geoexchange system
Food waste contributes what percentage of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions?
11%
So far, how many mass extinction events have there been in earth’s history?
5
Give at least two good impacts of the corals on the planet.
- role in medical research
- home to 25% of marine life
- reduce the impact of storm, waves, floods
- make sand (broken down coral squeleton)
- filters toxins and contaminants
What is the world’s largest source of renewable energy?
Hydropower
What does CECCS stand for, and what is its role ?
Committee on the Environment, Climate Change, and Sustainability
"Through enhanced integration of academic and operational sustainability, unite our local and global communities to catalyze public good and chart a responsive, practical path toward a more sustainable future–forged by urgency, bold ideas and collective action–for generations to come."
How long can a synthetic fiber like nylon take to break down in a landfill?
30 to 40 years
What is the most sustainable and eco-friendly renewable energy source?
Wind
More than 70% of our planet is covered by the ocean. But, what percentage of the ocean is designated as protected?
4%
In 2015, which country became the first to outlaw planned obsolescence?
France
How much waste is generated each year across all three campuses (as of 2022). Give an extimate in metric tonnes.
3,181 metric tonnes
What percentage of plastic do we recycle globally? (approximately)
9%
How many wind turbines are there in Canada ?
6k to 7k
Name one specie that went extinct since 2020.
- ʻŌʻū (Hawaii, bird)
- Mountain mist frog (Australia)
- Sharp-snouted day frog (Australia)
- Campo Grande tree frog (Brezil)
What is the Montreal Protocole, how many countries ratified it and when did it take effect ?
It is the international treaty designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances that are responsible for ozone depletion. It was ratified by 198 countries, and took effecet in 1989.
What is the UofT geoexchange system ?
(Where is it ? How does it work ? How much does it reduce emissions by ?)
The system carry the warm air from nearby buildings, store it underground and circulate it back during the winter months, using the Earth as giant thermal battery and helping the university reduce emissions by as much as 17,000 tonnes. It can also be used for melting snow.
“We're taking heat that we have in the summer – excess heat – and we're storing that deep below the ground so we can use it in the wintertime. And then in the winter, by using it, we don't have to burn fossil fuels.”
Is black plastic recyclable in Canada ? Why ?
No !
Toronto’s recycling facilities rely on optical sorting technology which cannot distinguish black plastic from the rest. While this technology works extremely well with traditional plastic, black plastic is invisible on the conveyer belt.
Even if black plastic could be sorted properly, there aren’t strong markets for it, as the color makes it difficult for the material to be used as feedstock for new products.
What is the molten-salt technology, and how does it work ?
MSES uses concentrated sunlight to melt salt at 131 degrees Celsius. The salt is kept in its liquid form in an insulated storage tank. With proper insulation, the thermal energy can be usefully stored for up to a week. When electricity is required, the hot molten salt is pumped to a conventional steam generator to produce superheated steam for powering a conventional turbine/generator set, the same as those used in any coal, oil, or nuclear power plant. Most solar thermal power plants now use this technology.