Technology-sustainability-presentation

Technology and Sustainability, Oxymoron or Synergy?

Open Questions:

• What does the most recent IPCC report say about the most pressing near-term risks from climate change?

• • Here is a good resource for this information: http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/wg2/en/spmsspm-c-15-magnitudes-of.html, it contains two good diagram / tables. It is from the SUmmary for Policy Makers section of the IPCC report. It gives the problem, the probability of it happening, and the effect on various sectors. How do you want to cite? MLA?

• • This is also good Info. What follows is for the US, they also have similar information for all other areas of the world.
    • Warming in western mountains is projected to cause decreased snowpack, more winter flooding and reduced summer flows, exacerbating competition for over-allocated water resources.
    • In the early decades of the century, moderate climate change is projected to increase aggregate yields of rain-fed agriculture by 5 to 20%, but with important variability among regions. Major challenges are projected for crops that are near the warm end of their suitable range or which depend on highly utilised water resources.
    • Cities that currently experience heat waves are expected to be further challenged by an increased number, intensity and duration ofheat waves during the course of the century, with potential for adverse health impacts.
    • Coastal communities and habitats will be increasingly stressed by climate change impacts interacting with development and pollution.
    • This report can be found at: http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/spms3.html

• What is the correct citation for the current IPCC report?
  • What format do you want it in? MLA, Chicago, etc?

• What does Thor's letter to the board have that might be useful in terms of supported claims about energy use in the US?
  • "In the United States, buildings account for 39 percent of carbon dioxide emissions and 71 percent of total electricity consumption.# With a stock of nearly a quarter million buildings, higher education is in a particularly good position to make the necessary changes to reduce these figures." (source, United States Department of Energy)

• What are the top 5-10 producers of carbon dioxide globally? (IIRC making cement is one of them).

• • http://www.eia.doe.gov/oiaf/1605/ggrpt/index.html this is a country by country comparison of total green house gas emissions. There is a table about half way down that is well worth a look.

• • material sourced from here http://www.iea.org/Textbase/npsum/tracking2007SUM.pdf
    • 1. Chemical and Petrochemical
      • 30% of industrial sector
      • 16% of total carbon output
      • More than half half of energy demand is for feedstock use, this cannot be reduced.
      1. Iron and Steel
      • ~25% of industries share on Carbon
      • uses 19% of "final energy use" (does this mean all of the energy used?)
      1. Cement
      2. Pulp, Paper, and Printing
      3. Aluminum
      4. Other Non-Metallic Minerals and other Non Ferrous Metals
  • On the last couple, no direct % is given. The report does include a lot of information on energy usage by sector as well as carbon output. The main focus of the report is potential energy gains.

How much does carbon does a watt of electricity use?

• Over a year, a 100W bulb produces 1852 pounds
  • http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/question481.htm
• a couple of other interesting things including carbon usage saving by using train.
  • http://www.tpexpress.co.uk/train-destinations/green-calculator/how-was-this-calculated.htm
• This website list carbon and other GHG emissions by kilowatt
  • http://www.saving-light-bulbs.co.uk/blog/?p=48