Conservation, waste reduction, recycling and substitution.

Core: Patterns in resource consumption (Chapter 4)

Waste Management.

Waste management refers to collecting, distributing, transporting and monitoring of waste materials. It usually refers to byproducts of human activity, and is instigated in order improve aesthetics, the environment, and overall human health.

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Methods of Waste Management.

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Waste Management

Recycling

Reuse

Substitution

Landfill

Recycling.

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Recycling is the term given to processing waste products into useful materials. Examples of recycable materials include glass, paper, metal and plastic. Recycling is a sustainable way in which to preserve materials, reduce air and water pollution levels, and lower the levels of greenhouse gases found within the atmosphere.

Reuse.

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Reusing items implies using them after they have already been used, either for the same or different functions. When compared to recycling, reusing items saves money, time, energy and resources. Examples of reusable items include plastic bags, envelopes, jars and pots, packaging and old clothes.

Substitution.

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Substitution of a resource by another often means to replace non-renewable resources with renewable resources. For instance, fossil fuels which damage the atmosphere could be substituted with other forms of available energy, such as solar, tidal or wind. Processes such as substitution reduce the amount of waste in landfills and provide benefits for both the environment and the economy, through the possibilities of investment.

Landfill.

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Landfill sites involve burying waste into the ground and then covering it with soil. Landfill sites are often associated negatively, because of the aesthetic blight, as well as the noise produced by the machinery. Most materials do not decompose efficiently and damage the local environment as well as the people living nearby.

Computers and the Environment.

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Computer Production

240 kg of fossil fuels

22 kg of chemicals

Disposal

1,500 kg of water.

Waste in the European Union.

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Sources of Information.

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http://environmentvictoria.org.au/content/problem-landfill

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/index.htm

http://www.wotwaste.com/waste-articles/commercial-waste/some-of-the-world-s-largest-landfills

http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/reuse.html

http://www.planetgreenrecycling.net.au/recycling-facts.php

http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/