WasteASPDP Water, Energy and Waste:Integrating Themes of Sustainability

What is Waste?

What is Waste?

Municipal Solid Waste, according to the EPA:MSW—otherwise known as trash or garbage—consists of everyday items such as product packaging, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, and batteries. Not included are materials that also may be disposed in landfills but are not generally considered MSW, such as construction and demolition materials, municipal wastewater treatment sludges, and non-hazardous industrial wastes.

2012 MSW (before recycling)

Recycling Rates

early NYC waste history1657- New Amsterdam passes a law prohibiting waste disposal in the streets

1885- the nation’s first incinerator built on Governor’s Island

1896- residents are forced to separate their waste into ash; food waste; dry trash

Early 1900’s – each citizen produced an annual waste amount of 141 lbs food waste; 88 lbs of dry trash; 1443 lbs ash. Total=1,672 lbs trash

1905- Williamsburg Bridge lighting powered by a garbage incinerator

information from the Association of Science-Technology Centers Incorporated

PlasticThe Great Pacific Garbage Patch

When we recycle, are we breaking thecycle of waste?No-Plastic bottles can be downcycled Into benches or toys, but they usually can’t be recycled back into bottles, because the process of recycling compromises the quality and durability of the plastic. So, that plastic water bottle is virgin plastic.Many people try to avoidplastic for health reasons. It is believed that particlesof plastics are found in ourbodies, even those of newborns!

PaperPaper manufacturing is the largest industrial user of water per pound of finished product. Source: American Forest and Paper Association

The US uses 25% of the world's paper products. Source: American Forest and Paper Association

The average American uses more than 748 pounds of paper per year. Source: American Forest and Paper Association

The US uses approx. 68 million trees each year to produce 17 billion catalogues and 65 billion pieces of direct mail. Source: American Forest and Paper AssociationNYC paper recycling

stuff-happens-dont-print-that

eWasteSince our products are “designed for the dump,” old items pile up in our house, and then in the landfill, where the chemicals can leak out. What can we do with all these electrical items? Bring them back to an appliance store: http://www.apple.com/recycling/ and http://www.bestbuy.com

Stuff

Ecological FootprintThe Ecological Footprint is a resource management tool that measures how much land and water area a human population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its wastes under prevailing technology. In a sustainable world, society's demand on nature must be in balance with nature's capacity to meet that demand.

The global Ecological Footprint is now more than 23% larger than what the planet can regenerate – people are turning resources into waste faster than nature can turn waste back into resources. Humanity is no longer living off nature’s “interest”, but drawing down its “capital”. The U.S. Ecological Footprint is so large that if the rest of the world had the same lifestyle, we would need over 5 planets to support us over time.

Zero Waste

Zero Waste is a philosophy that views “waste” as a resource. The entire life cycle of a product is scrutinized, and the actual design of products is examined as well. In a zero waste community, everything that is consumed and used up must be either recycled or composted. Many countries around the world have begun to initiate zero waste guidelines.

Sewage

http://nyc.gov/html/nycmg/nyctvod/html/home/sony_302b.html

Methane GasMethane is a naturally occurring gas that is usable as fuel. It can be formed from solid waste, sludge water, landfill garbage and other sources that are often overlooked and thought of as disgusting.

Methane creation is actually quite simple. Put all the disgusting waste in a tank called a digester, make the environment in the tank warm and moist, and leave it alone. Bacteria will grow in the tank that will eat away the waste. In the process of eliminating the waste, the bacteria will emit methane gas.

Once the methane is captured, it is broken into hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Next, the carbon dioxide is turned into carbonate by circling it through the break down process again. Then, the carbonate reapplied to the hydrogen. This process creates more carbon dioxide and water to repeat the process. It also generates heat, which in turn spins the turbines to spin the generator. This in turn creates the electricity.

Newtown Creek Digester Eggs

The digester eggs can convert up to 1.5 million gallons of sludge everyday into usable fertilizer and gas for energy. Newtown Creek is the largest of the city’s wastewater treatment plants. Tours can be scheduled.

Human Waste

At NASA's Ames Research Center (ARC) a water recycler enabling reuse for three years without resupply is being developed. A unit can hourly recycle 13.2 pounds, about one gallon, of waste into drinkable water. "If we were going to Mars tomorrow, this is the water treatment system astronauts might will use," said NASA Ames scientist Michael Flynn. He is developing it in cooperation with Water Reuse Technology, Inc., Garden Valley, Calif. "This unit can enable a six-person crew to shower, wash clothes and dishes, drink water and flush toilets over three years without resupply," Flynn said.

Animal WasteWhen managed properly, manure can be a valuable resource on a farm. It can be a source of nutrients for crop production and can improve soil quality. However, if there is insufficient land to use the amount of manure that is produced or if manure is mismanaged, then risks to water supplies and the environment could result.

image courtesy of http://www.eoearth.org

Aquaponics

Compost

Find a place to put food scraps

What can students do about waste?

ProjectsStudent blogs about what to buy or not buy based on excess packaging

Commercials and Plays to promote recycling

Infomercials to teach how cool it is to NOT buy new things

Magazine article to teach how to make new things from old, used up items

Rap songs about compost

Surveys and eco footprint research

Organize clothing and toy swaps

Campaigns and advertisements

What will your students do to minimize waste and educate others?

Jot down some ideas in your notebook for real ways that your students could be involved in managing waste. You may want to view the resources under lesson ideas about waste on our Wiki Space home page.