Waste

Waste production is a reflection of modern consumption and lifestyles.

Economically developed countries are producing more and more waste (900 kg
a year per inhabitant in the United States), whereas developing countries
produce very little (less  than 17 kg a year per inhabitant in the Ivory Coast).
We produce over 26 million tonnes of household rubbish in the UK and
Northern Ireland every year. 

The nature of waste is also changing. The materials are synthetic and
increasingly complex, resulting in pollution and health problems. Selective
waste collection has been introduced in many developed countries. In
developing countries, the recovery and re-use of waste materials has long
been, and still is, a common activity. 

The large quantity of household waste is mainly due to the increase in the
amount of packaging over the last 40 years. Other waste such as highly
dangerous radioactive  waste, which has a long lifespan (several thousand
years) or industrial waste, can pose serious health and pollution problems. By
thinking about the types of products we buy, how we use them and where we
dispose of them, we can dramatically reduce the amount of rubbish our homes
produce.

Problems and challenges

Waste, if not properly managed, can cause a change in the environment and
its ecosystems. 

Globally, only 20% of household waste is treated (incinerated or recycled).  

Some countries in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and
Development) send their waste to countries in the Southern hemisphere in
order to avoid the high cost of waste treatment. 

Although we produce waste, we do not want to have household waste

incineration factories or landfill sites near our homes. However, waste is being
produced  at a much higher rate than it can be destroyed.  

Of all the possible solutions, reduction at source is the quickest and

most efficient. However, it requires an effort to be made by governments,
industry and consumers, and is not easy to put into practice as it means that
everyone must change their habits.
Project ideas
 Visit a rubbish tip to see the variety and quantity of things that are
thrown away
 Produce an account of the waste collection and treatment sites in the
local  district or town in order to understand how the local waste sector
operates
 Set up a composting machine to look at the idea of biodegradable waste
and the plant waste sector
 Visit a supermarket with a list of types of purchases and then carry out  a
study on the amount of waste produced
 Look at the connection between consumption and waste production
 Carry out a waste audit at your school to see what you are throwing
away. Could your school reduce the amount it is putting into its dustbins?
Could any of this waste be re-used or recycled?

For further advice on carrying out a waste / packaging  audit please click here.
Energy
Energy  is the greatest source of human innovation and is essential to all kinds
of  activity. The demand for energy multiplied 13 times during the last century.  
The two oil crises in 1973 and 1979 made the developed countries aware of
their  dependence on energy. 

At a time when these countries are reviewing their energy policies to include  
renewable energies, other countries are dreaming of having nuclear power
stations.  Globally, there are enormous inequalities: two million human beings
do not have access to electricity, and a person in the United States consumes
30 times more energy than someone in India.

Problems and challenges

Fossil fuels, which represent 80% of total energy consumption, contribute to  
air, soil, sea and river pollution. Road transport is the main source of toxic gas
emissions, resulting in local pollution and contributing on a global level   to the
greenhouse effect. 

The main global challenge is how to manage energy. Industrialised countries  

have used energy resources without counting the cost but we are now
becoming  aware of the importance of managing energy better. One alternative
is to use  advanced technology to reduce our energy consumption.  

Great hopes also rest on the development of non-polluting, renewable energy  

(solar, wind, hydraulic and biofuels). As a complement to these technological  
developments, encouraging people to be more economical with their daily
energy consumption is a key factor in the success of an energy management
action plan.
Project ideas
 Carry out a landscape study of the local district or town in order to
locate  the objects and places that show how important energy is to the
town
 Carry out a survey on energy use in the home over one day showing the
regular  energy requirements, the type of energy used (fuel, gas, wood
etc.), electrical  appliance consumption and the efforts to manage energy
made within the family
 Produce an inventory of different energy sources. Emphasise the high
use  of fossil fuels, look at the problem of renewing these resources and
consider  possible long-term solutions
 Visit a renewable energy production site in order to become familiar with  
these little-known energy principles

For further advice on carrying out a waste / packaging  audit please click here.
Water
Water covers three quarters of the earth's surface. Seas and oceans represent
97% of all the water in the world, whilst 2% is imprisoned in glaciers. This
means that less than 1% of all the world's water is contained in the rivers,
lakes and ground water available to supply human requirements.  

The distribution of fresh water throughout the world is very unequal. Africa
suffers from a shortage of water whereas 60% of all fresh water is divided
between only ten countries.

Problems and challenges

Population increases, industry and agriculture all exacerbate the pressure
on our fragile reserves of water. Rivers and lakes are sometimes transformed
into "open-air drains". The various types of water pollution have devastating
consequences on the environment and on health, causing millions of deaths
every year worldwide. 

The impact of water usage is paradoxical, as in the regions of the world

with plenty of water, a lot of money has to be spent to make it drinkable!
Water has become a real commodity. Although it is a shared resource, it can
become  a source of conflict. The UN has compiled a list of more than 300
trouble spots over water worldwide. "The battle for water" is a term that is
becoming increasingly common.

Project ideas
 Carry out a landscape study of the local area to locate the water
sources (visible or invisible), and look at the idea of water-related land
management
 Go dipping for small water organisms in order to find out more about
these creatures
 Examine and discuss the idea of water quality
 Build a model representing the water cycle
 Visit a water treatment site, look at the problem of managing the
waste from water treatment