ALCANTARA, JOHN LAURENCE G.

DECEMBER
MEXE
SATURDAY
MODULE CHAPTER TEST NO.
ECONOMIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL ISSUES

QUESTION
GLASS
ADVANTAGES
GLASS IS RECYCLABLE.
THERE IS NO LIMIT TO THE NUMBER OF TIMES THAT
THIS MATERIAL CAN BE RECYCLED.
PRODUCT WILL NOT LOSE ANY INTEGRITY OR QUALITY
WHEN IT IS EVENTUALLY REPURPOSED INTO A NEW
ITEM.
GLASS THAT IS RECYCLED IS USED TO CREATE NEW
GLASS BOTTLES THAT END UP IN STORE SHELVES
ABOUT A MONTH LATER.
BY USING RECYCLED GLASS TO CREATE NEW GLASS
BOTTLES, MANUFACTURERS SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE
THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT.
DISADVANTAGES
THERE WILL BE MORE COST DURING TRANSPORTATION
THEREBY CAUSING A DECREASE IN PROFIT.
GLASS CONTAINERS ARE USUALLY HEAVY AND MUCH
MORE FRAGILE.
GLASS PRODUCTION ARE TYPICALLY ENERGY
INTENSIVE.
PRODUCTS THAT ARE PACKAGED IN GLASS CANNOT BE
PACKED AS TIGHTLY AS THOSE WITH ALUMINUM OR
PLASTIC PACKAGING, WHICH MEANS IT REQUIRES
MORE ENERGY TO TRANSPORT GLASS. IT CONSUMES
NEARLY TWO TIMES MORE ENERGY TO PRODUCE THAN
PLASTICS.
 ALUMINUM
ADVANTAGES
IT IS EASY TO TRANSPORT ALUMINUM CANS.
TRANSPORTING ALUMINUM IS GREENER THAN
TRANSPORTING GLASS.
ALUMINIUM CANS ARE LIGHTWEIGHT AND CAN BE
PACKED TIGHTLY TOGETHER AND ABOUT TO
DECREASE IN TRANSPORTATION COST.
LIKE GLASS, ALUMINUM IS RECYCLABLE AND CAN
BE RECYCLED OVER AND OVER AGAIN. ABOUT OF
ALUMINUM CANS ARE CURRENTLY BEING RECYCLED
COMPARED TO ONLY OF GLASS CONTAINERS.
ALUMINIUM IS A GREAT SOLUTION FOR PACKAGING
FOOD AND BEVERAGES AS IT HAS THE ABILITY TO
EFFECTIVELY PROTECT IT FROM CONTAMINATION.
RECYCLING PROCESS FOR ALUMINIUM IS CHEAP AND
IT CONSUME LESS ENERGY.
DISADVANTAGES
MINING FOR BAUXITE TO PRODUCE ALUMINUM IS
HARMFUL TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND CAN LEAD TO
WATER CONTAMINATION, EROSION, AND HABITAT
DESTRUCTION.
ALUMINUM SMELTING GIVES OFF SULFUR DIOXIDE AND
NITROGEN DIOXIDE, WHICH CAN RESULT IN BOTH
SMOG AND ACID RAIN.
PLASTIC
ADVANTAGES
PLASTICS ARE AN AFFORDABLE MATERIAL. IT’S
ESSENTIAL FOR MODERN TRANSPORTATION, PROVIDES
INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT, AND MAKES THE
DELIVERY AND TRANSPORT OF ITEMS CHEAPER AND
EASIER TO COMPLETE.
METHANE DOESN’T FORM WHEN PLASTICS START
DECOMPOSING.
 MANY PLASTICS HAVE A LONG LIFESPAN THAT
ENCOURAGES REUSE.
DISADVANTAGES
PLASTICS TYPICALLY COME FROM NON RENEWABLE
RESOURCES.
IT TAKES A LONG TIME FOR PLASTIC PRODUCTS TO
DECOMPOSE.
MOST PLASTICS CAN ONLY BE RECYCLED ONCE OR
TWICE.
IT RELEASES TOXIC CHEMICALS INTO THE
ENVIRONMENT AS PLASTIC BREAKS DOWN.

QUESTION
GREEN DESIGN IS THE DESIGNING OF PRODUCTS TO
HAVE A REDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE. THE STARTING POINT FOR MANY
GREEN PRODUCTS IS TO IMPROVE AN EXISTING
PRODUCT BY REDESIGNING ASPECTS OF IT TO ADDRESS
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES. THE ITERATIVE
DEVELOPMENT OF THESE PRODUCTS CAN BE
INCREMENTAL OR RADICAL DEPENDING ON HOW
EFFECTIVELY NEW TECHNOLOGIES CAN ADDRESS THE
ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES. WHEN NEWER
TECHNOLOGIES ARE DEVELOPED, THE PRODUCT CAN RE-
ENTER THE DEVELOPMENT PHASE FOR FURTHER
IMPROVEMENT.
THE PURPOSE OF GREEN DESIGN IS TO ENSURE A
SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR ALL. SUSTAINABLE
PRODUCTS PROVIDE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS
WHILE PROTECTING PUBLIC HEALTH, WELFARE AND
THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGHOUT THEIR LIFE CYCLE
FROM THE EXTRACTION OF RAW MATERIALS TO FINAL
DISPOSAL.
THERE ARE THREE PRIMARY COMPONENTS OF GREEN
DESIGN: REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE. THE REDUCE
CONCEPT MEANS TO REDESIGN A PRODUCT TO USE LESS
MATERIAL. THE REUSE CONCEPT MEANS TO FABRICATE
A PRODUCT USING MATERIAL THAT CAN BE USED AGAIN.
RECYCLING REFERS TO THE CONCEPT OF
REPROCESSING A PRODUCT AT THE END OF ITS
LIFECYCLE INTO NEW RAW MATERIAL THAT CAN BE
PROCESSED INTO NEW PRODUCTS.
GREEN DESIGN IS SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH
INTELLIGENT DESIGN. FOR EXAMPLE, USING MATERIALS
AND CONSTRUCTING SO THAT A BUILDING IS
THERMALLY EFFICIENT. OR CHOOSING MATERIALS
WHICH HAVE LOW IMPACT ON THE ENVIRONMENT OR
COME FROM RECYCLE MATERIALS. CHOOSING
MATERIALS WHICH HAVE A LONG LIFE AND ARE
EFFICIENT BOTH IN USE AND IN ITS MANUFACTURING.
DESIGN MIGHT ALSO INCLUDE GREEN SPACES FOR AIR
QUALITY AND ATMOSPHERICS, ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS TO
DESIGN TO REUSE GREY WATER FOR INTEGRATION.

QUESTION
ECONOMIC CONSIDERATIONS
THERE ARE THREE FACTORS OVER WHICH THE
MATERIALS ENGINEER HAS CONTROL AND THAT AFFECT
THE COST OF A PRODUCT: COMPONENT DESIGN, THE
MATERIALS USED, AND THE MANUFACTURING
TECHNIQUES.

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIETAL CONSIDERATIONS

OUR MODERN TECHNOLOGIES AND THE
MANUFACTURING OF THEIR ASSOCIATED PRODUCTS
IMPACT OUR SOCIETIES IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. SOME
ARE POSITIVE, AND OTHERS ARE ADVERSE.
FURTHERMORE, THESE IMPACTS ARE ECONOMIC AND
ENVIRONMENTAL IN TYPE, AND INTERNATIONAL IN
SCOPE IN AS MUCH AS THE RESOURCES REQUIRED FOR A
NEW TECHNOLOGY OFTEN COME FROM MANY
DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, THE ECONOMIC PROSPERITY
RESULTING FROM TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT IS
GLOBAL IN EXTENT, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
MAY EXTEND BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF A SINGLE
COUNTRY.

REFERENCES:
https: www.ruthtrumpold.id.au destech ?page_id
https: www.slader.com discussion question discuss how materials
engineering can play a role in green design
https: www.e education.psu.edu matse node