Questions On Environmental Summer Assignment

However, there have been attempts to stop this. The United States is the only industrialized country who does not have an international treaty which makes it illegal to export or traffic toxic e-waste. The idea is to stop dumping e-waste on the world’s poorest, poverty struck nations and to work towards safer waste management within the country. The European Union provides a model for industrial regulation, hoping that the burden of the e-waste would be put on manufacturers instead of the consumers. On the other hand, a more fitting choice would be to begin manufacturing the devices with an end of life plan. As of right now cell phones are designed to make disassembly difficult. Instead, ideas have been proposed to sell the devices with prearranged disposal service or to allow users to exchange their old phone for a new one instead of throwing them away improperly. With the idea in mind that individuals play a role in environmental sustainability, this provides incentive that people would be more interested in trading in their old phones for new ones while saving the earth at the same

Science is in my blood. I grew up always being fascinated in science both physical and environmental. My love for science started early when I was able to play outside every day and performing my own experiments in the backyard. Throughout middle school and high school, I took every available science course, I simply just wanted to know more. I did not know my exact path of study until my senior year in high school. I enrolled into an AP Environmental Science class, a brand new test run course at my school. Thinking back to AP Environmental Science, it was not just the material that directed my study. Ultimately it was my teacher, Mrs. Andre, who strengthen the flames of desire and intrigue to continue along the environmental studies path. Her drive and passion every day is what inspired me to focus on environmental education and communication.

Electronics Recycling. Electronic recycling is one consideration the company can do better with. Recycling in general lowers greenhouse gas emissions that are caused by manufacturing items for the first time. Recycling electronics conserves natural resources making cleaner air and water. The valuable resources computers and electronic components carry are metals, plastics, and glass. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), recycling a million laptops would give back enough energy for 3500 American homes’ electricity. A million cell phones would could yield 35,000 pounds of copper, 772 pounds of silver, 75 pounds of gold, and 33 pounds of palladium. Instead of throwing out the old computers and blackberry’s, the company could simply upgrade the hardware or software and then recycle the parts necessary.

E-waste or electronic waste is the number 1 fastest growing trash in the united states since 2004. E-waste is made up of lead, mercury, , and caldium. All of these Acids are deadly to the human body. Alex lin and many other teen activists work with these acids every day. Also, These activists are trying to stop these deadly acid from seeking into the ground and killing natural resources. These acids can also get into the water systems and harm people. When you get a new electronic you would most likely through it out in the TRASH, but you should recycle old electronics. According to the Electronic recycling 101 article, 3 million tons of electronic are trough out and only 13.6 of them are recycled. This shows that many people are unaware of

On October 6th 2015, the students of Mattawan’s AP Environmental class took a trip to the local stream of the Mattawan Consolidated Schools area. The purpose of this trip was to conduct a stream study to determine the health, conditions, and pollution levels of this small body of water. A multitude of factors came into play when making a judgement on the stream’s health, and making sure to take all of these essential points was crucial to the study. A variety of thorough experiments were conducted to help make this overlying conclusion, as many students adopted many roles in the study. Students used a physical survey form, water test data sheet, and taxa recording sheet to record their findings. Teamwork was essential in making sure all of this information could be found accurately and efficiently. The combination of all of the final results allowed the class to make a judgement of the stream’s state.

As used electronics is becoming a waster hazard worldwide local governments such as where I live include programs at local waste stations purely for electronics. This encourages local residents to freely drop off their electronic waste, like TV’s and computers and mobile phones to these locations where the waste is sorted and than shipped to facilities that can process this waste appropriately which also includes recycling as much material as possible. This has a

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It has become the new “norm” with people to replace their electronics because their devices become out of date or they feel like they have to have the latest thing. In the article “Our E-Waste Problem Is Ridiculous, And Gadget Makers Aren’t Helping,” by Christina Bonnington, the author discusses how people buy new electronics every year when they come out and the old ones get abandoned. She also talks about how many people aren’t properly recycling their old devices and how some electronics can be impossible to recycle the right way. She also talks

Today, with over 7 billion people on Earth, the demand for technology is rising rapidly. As companies work hard to meet demands and mass produce technology for both society and businesses, they release harmful chemicals and gasses which pollute the environment and result in climate changes (Ramey). And not only does the overproduction of technology pollute the air, but it also harms the ground that we stand on. Technotrash, or any broken or unwanted electronic device, is currently the most rapidly-growing type of waste (Green) and according to GreenDisk, a company dedicated towards safely recycling technotrash, over 80% of technotrash is not being recycled. While technotrash represents only 2% of America’s trash in landfills, it equals 70% (emphasis) of overall toxic waste (“11 Facts”) because the toxins in technology can leak into the ground (Anthony). For example, lead from cell phone circuit boards can cause

In her essay, “The Story of Stuff: Electronics”, Annie Leonard discusses certain technology manufacturing processes, and the growing ecological problems of technological “e-waste” that they cause.

Many Americans have the luxury of purchasing new electronics almost every year. Something that is ignored, since it has become so natural, is exactly how their little devices had come to their lives and what happens when it is thrown away. In a more perfect world, the production of electronics would that of an ethical process, but it is unfortunately not that case. It all starts with the harvesting of raw materials.

Another very crucial environmental issue, besides global warming, involves the finite nature of natural re, which are being depleted faster than their replenishment rates. The development model of the 20th century, which promoted the continuous consumption of products, has resulted in the reduction of agriculture land, food, water re as also fossil fuels. If humanity continues to consume fossil fuels at the same rate as today, oil re will run out by 2030, gas by 2040 and coal by 2200. By 2025, the number of people suffering due to water stress will rise to approximately 3.5 billion and almost half the world’s population is expected to experience high water stress by

I know that a lot goes into making my computer, but I didn’t know what happened to those materials when I was done with it. By browsing Dell’s website I learned about the vast disposal options for a customer that help minimize “e-waste.” One can contribute their electronics to a Goodwill, mail-back the computer to Dell, trade in the electronic for a Dell Gift Card, or donate the used technology to local non-profits and schools. It is interesting to learn of all the different ways you can positively dispose of old electronics in a way that they can be reused, or even benefit you and your

When I chose to take the AP Environmental Science course around this time last year, I was unaware it would actually impact my decision making outside of the classroom. After learning the effects of human activities on our planet, I was determined to make an impact, even if it was a small one. Before taking this class, when seeing something on the floor that didn’t belong there, I occasionally put it in the trash if I wasn’t in a rush to get somewhere; but, while I was learning different topics in this course and as the class went on, I began to do that every time. In the past, I would sometimes be lazy to find a recycling bin for my plastic water bottles, and would put them in the trash. Now I refill my water bottles, or hold onto it until

In the year 1800 the human population on earth reached 1 billion. In 200 years, the population soared to 6 billion (Berg & Hager, Chapter 1, 2009). With industrialization and technologies developed in those 200 years, humans have been depleting the earth’s natural resources at an alarming rate. Environmental science is the branch of science concerned with the physical, chemical, and biological conditions of the environment and their effect on organisms ("Dictionary.com", 2013). Knowing and understanding the environment and what can be done to sustain it will help humans survive on this planet