Sustainability and Energy Use

WEEK 5 ASSIGNMENT

Week 5 Assignment

Part 1

Question 1

The average weekly garbage content of a vegan happens to be lower compared to the percentages of different materials generated in the United States. For instance, the percentage of the materials that the vegan could have had in his or her garbage have been approximated to be between 4%-12%. According to the Environmental Protection Agency - EPA (2022), the garbage materials (which are inclusive of, but they are not limited to wood, metal, and yard trimming) in 2018 had a percentage of 6.19%, 8.76%, and 12.11% respectively. Therefore, the average weekly garbage content of the vegan for the said year would have been approximately between 0.08% and 0.23%. In terms of mass, EPA (2022) found that the mass of solid waste generated from wood was 18,090,000 tons, the mass of glass was 12, 600,000 tons, while the mass of yard trimmings generated for the year 2018 were 35,400,000 tons. Per week, this would be equivalent to 347,884.62 tons, 235576.92 tons, and 680,769.23 tons respectively.

Question 2

It is important to note that solid waste materials undergo a lot of different processes before they are disposed. These processes are inclusive of, but they are not limited to; collection, processing, recycling, biological treatment, incineration, and/or landfill disposal depending on their garbage content. In terms of collection, the three main materials contained in the vegan’s garbage were composted differently. For instance, EPA (2022) data shows that there was no wood that was composted in 2018. With regard to yard trimmings, the said agency found that yard trimmings were composted at a rate of approximately 63% or 22,300,000 tons. On the other hand, metals such as ferrous metals were not composted at any rate in the said year. With regard to recycling, data from EPA (2022) shows that wood was recycled at a rate of 17.1% or 3.1 million tons, yard trimmings were not recycled at any rate, and ferrous metals were also not recycled. During incineration or combustion with energy recovery, data shows that wood was combusted at a rate of 8.3% or 2.8 million tons, yard trimmings were combusted at a rate of 7.4% or 2.6 million tons , while ferrous metals were combusted at the lowest rate of 6.7% or 2.3 million tons (EPA, 2022). The said materials were also landfilled at different rates in 2018. For instance, the total amount of wood that was received at landfills was 12.2 million tons at a rate of 8.3%. Yard trimmings were landfilled at a rate of 7.2% where approximately 10.5 million tons were taken to landfills. Like yard trimmings, ferrous metals such as steel was also landfilled at a rate of 7.2% or approximately 10.5 million tons in 2018.

In NY State, solid wastes are handled differently (Department of Environmental Conservation, n. d). For instance, any facility that thermally heats or combusts unadulterated or uncontaminated wood should have a Part 360 registration. In addition, the said facility should not produce more than 1400 tons of unadulterated or contaminated wood in a day. Further, New York State requires that the amount of unadulterated or uncontaminated wood stored in the said facility not to exceed 8,400 tons at any single point. With regard to yard trimmings, the NY State under the department of Environment Conservation (n. d) points out that a facility which composts yard trimmings ought to have a permit if; the yard of trimmings composted per year exceed 10,000 tons, the source separated organics composted per year exceed 2,500 wet tons per year, and if the amount of waste digested anaerobically exceed 50 tons per day. Apart from a permit, the NY State requires that a facility that composts yard trimmings should have a registration if the said facility composts between 3000 and 10000 yards in a year. A registration would also be required if the said facility composts routing animal and road-killed mortalities (Department of Environmental Conservation, n. d). Like in wood and yard trimmings, a registration would be require in a facility that processes metals. In essence, a metal processor would require registration if the amount of metal stored in the said processor exceeds 1000 cubic yards.

Question 3

It is worthwhile noting that the prices of goods and services is not a reflection of the monetary value, environmental resources and environmental quality. In essence, economic valuation of resources is said to be anthropocentric (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2005). In my opinion, it would be helpful to account for environmental costs of goods and services. This is more so the case given that the economic valuation of such goods and services would largely contribute to decisions that are made regarding restoration, preservation, and ecosystem use. Indeed, the value of goods and services should be reflected in their monetary value so as to ensure that it would make sustainable contribution to the consumers. Essentially, the value of goods and services ought to reflect its usefulness to human beings. Therefore, if all environmental costs were to be accounted for, I am convinced that their level of consumption would decrease rapidly. This is more so the case given that the said goods and services would be eliminated from the market. In essence, such goods and services would no longer be useful to the said population owing to the fact that their value would not be related to their usefulness (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2005).

Part II

Question 1

In the “Story of Stuff” movie, the authors relate to the concepts in environment and ecological principles whereby the speaker explains what happens to stuff from the point of production, distribution, consumption, and disposal. The author explains the concept by indicating how each of the said concepts affects the materials economy. In essence, each of the said concepts affects the environment given that they tend to be in a linear system whereby they cannot be run in a finite world. During production, Story of Stuff Project explains how energy is used in the said process to make chemicals that have detrimental effects on humans. Production of chemicals happens to be toxic not only to individuals, but also to communities. This happens to be the case given that most of wastes from production are directed to seas and oceans or leave bi-products which are harmful to humans. With regard to distribution, the speaker in the Story of Stuff Project also explains how true costs of production are externalized. As explained earlier, there is need for cost of goods and services to reflect the true costs of production so as to help determine the usefulness of the said goods or services. In my opinion, since products are extracted, produced, and distributed by consumers, the said consumers can be able to transform the linear flow of system into a cyclic system by ensuring that there would be sustainability and equity in the environment and ecosystems.

Question 2

In the short movie “Fossil Fuel in 300 seconds” there are clear indications that our fossil fuel dependence is largely related to our consumption of stuff. This is more so the case given that materials are produced more than they are consumed. In essence, more products are produced than are needed by consumers. As a matter of fact, various strategies have in the past been deployed in an attempt to trigger increased consumption. Advertisements are made via the use of various mass media devices and formats with the sole intention being to hook new consumers. Increased consumption leads to shortages in oil and as a consequence, coal products are burned so as to satisfy the demands of globalization.