We need to do more for the environment, using less resources
Ecological Footprint
A simple concept that is
easy to work out - promoting
individual responsibitly
Does not account for
resource depletion, uneven
resource distribution,
increasing population or
industrial impact
Carbon Footprint
An open bracket term
meaning and working the
same as ecological impact
but also embodies green
house gas emissions
Green House Gas Emissions
A Greenhouse gas is a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation
Water Vapour is the highest
contributor to the greenhouse
gas effect at roughly 36 - 72%,
with carbon dioxide in second at
9 - 26%
Global
Warming
potential is a
unit that is
known for each
gas, and can be
converted to
carbon dioxide
equivalent for
easy
comparison
Sustainablilty Reporting
From 2013, UK requires reporting of GHG emissions
by LSE-listed companies
Allows greater transparency via single, consistent standard and provides information enabling companies to
reduce long term costs, including energy
Life Cycle Assessment
Goal is to assess impacts associated with the
production, distribution, use, and disposal of a product
Determine objective of study - Define system boundaries - Develop flowchart - Select appropriate functional unit - Select
impact categories - Select level of detail - Complete life cycle inventory - Interpret results
Embodied resources - the idea of having embodied
energy, embodied carbon and embodied water
within processes, products and materials stems from
LCA
Can take a very long time and can be both complex and costly - the lifecycle flowchart helps more quickly determine envirnmental impact at a more basic level
Global Climate Initiatives
1997 Kyoto agreement - international envirnmental
treaty with the goal of stabilization of greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere at a level deemed safer than current
levels - didn't wotk out too well