Sustainable Development and Energy Quiz

Noise Pollution

• Sound is a pressure wave
• Sound level is measured using decibels (dB)
• Noise pollution is excessive or disturbing sound that harms human or animal activity or balance
• Unwanted noise interferes with normal activities (e.g., sleeping, conversations) or reduces quality of life
• Noise pollution can damage physiological and psychological health

Major Community Noise Sources

• Transportation (aircraft, vehicles, trains)
• Construction noise
• Industrial processing (machines)
• Recreation & sports

Impact of Noise on Human Health

• Noise can affect health negatively in various ways, starting with discomfort and progressing to serious conditions.
• Mortality: The most severe impact, e.g., cardiovascular diseases, or other serious health conditions.
• Disease: E.g., sleep disturbances, cardiovascular problems
• Risk factors: E.g., elevated blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose levels
• Stress indicators: Physiological changes like stress hormones
• Feeling of discomfort: E.g., disturbance, annoyance, sleep difficulties
• The severity of health impacts corresponds to the intensity of noise

Noise Levels of Common Sounds

• Any sound above 85 decibels can lead to hearing loss, depending on duration and intensity
• Breathing (10dB)
• Leaves rustling (20-30dB)
• Conversation (50dB)
• Vacuum cleaner (70dB)
• Heavy city traffic (85-90dB)
• Power tools (90dB)
• Motorcycle (100dB)
• Live rock concert (110dB)
• Ambulance siren (120dB)
• Jet engine taking off (140dB)
• 12-gauge shotgun (160dB)

Safe Exposure Times

• Instantaneous permanent damage (above 140+ dB)
• Less than one second (140+ dB)
• Less than ten seconds (130dB)
• Threshold of pain (120dB)
• 1.5 minutes (110dB)
• 15 minutes (100dB)
• 2.5 hours (90dB)
• 8 hours (85dB)
• Prolonged exposure to noise levels of 85 dB and higher can result in permanent hearing loss

Noise Control Techniques

• Reduce noise at the source
• Block or increase the path of noise
• Protect the recipient

Solutions for Noise Pollution

• Regular servicing of automobiles
• Servicing and lubrication of machinery
• Planting around sound generating sources
• Buildings with suitable noise-absorbing materials
• Soundproof doors and windows in construction
• Hearing protection equipment for workers
• Regulations to restrict usage of loudspeakers in public places
• Social awareness programs to educate public about noise pollution

Noise Pollution Affecting Marine Animals

• Noise pollution levels in the ocean have significantly increased due to intensified fishing, shipping, and infrastructure development.
• Underwater noise interferes with the ability of marine animals to communicate and transmit information
• The sound travels 4.5 times faster in water than in air

Solid Waste

• Solid waste is useless and/or hazardous material with low liquid content
• Solid waste is material with no further useful purpose, and discarded
• Solid wastes are categorized according to the sector responsible for producing them

Solid Waste Categories

• Mining waste
• Large amounts of rock and soil are removed to get to valuable ore
• This waste is usually left on the mine site surface
• Vegetation growth is often difficult on these waste rock piles
• Agricultural waste
• Waste from raising animals and harvesting/processing crops/trees
• Industrial solid waste
• Demolition waste, manufacturing scraps, combustion ash
• Municipal solid waste (MSW)
• Includes all materials people in a region no longer want due to brokenness, spoilage, or lack of further use
• This includes waste from households, commercial establishments, and institutions

Global MSW Profile

• A pie chart showing the global waste composition by material type (e.g. rubber & leather, wood, paper & cardboard, other, plastic, metal, food & green, glass) in percentages
• Global waste generation per capita (map)

Public Health Risks of Improper Waste Disposal

• Waste is a breeding ground for disease carriers (insects, flies, mosquitoes, rodents)
• Food and non-food waste attracts insects and rodents
• Waste can spread diseases (Typhoid, Cholera, Malaria, Hepatitis, Yellow Fever, Dysentery, Gastroenteritis)
• Occupational hazards exist for waste pickers in developing economies (contact with sharp objects, hazardous waste)
• Water contamination (surface and groundwater)
• Loss of aesthetics and landscaping
• Air pollution (odors, harmful gases, greenhouse gases, trace gases)

Plastic in the Marine Environment

• Land-based, coastal, and at-sea sources of plastic pollution
• Plastic breakdown leading to microplastics
• Plastic accumulation in ocean surface and sea floor.
• Visual depiction of the extent of the problem, including the Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Solid Waste Management

• Activities involved in solid waste management: Generation, Handling and storage at source, Collection, Transfer and transport, Processing and Disposal.

Waste Generation

• Waste generation varies by individuals
• Waste generation is currently uncontrollable

Waste Handling and Storage

• Waste handling involves activities related to managing waste until it's stored for collection.
• On-site storage is critical for public health and aesthetic reasons

Waste Collection

• Gathering solid wastes, recyclables
• Transport to processing facilities, transfer stations, or landfills

Transfer and Transportation

• Transfer of waste from smaller collection vehicles to larger transport equipment.
• Subsequent long-distance transport to a processing or disposal site

Waste Processing

• Separation of waste into categories(paper, plastics, glass, metals)

Waste Disposal

• Past favored methods: Dumping and burning waste outside city/village limits.
• Modern methods (landfills, incineration, composting, source reduction, recycling)

Landfill

• Modern landfills are not dumpsites, but methods of disposing of solid waste underground.
• Site selection depends on geological conditions and public concerns.
• Leachate (liquid from reactions in the landfill) and landfill gas (methane) need monitoring to prevent environmental contamination

Incineration

• Controlled burning of waste
• Reduces volume of waste drastically (up to 90%)
• Can recover energy and produce electricity
• Concerns regarding cost, sophistication, safety, emissions, and bottom ash

Composting

• Natural decomposition of organic materials to produce a nutrient-rich soil-like material

Source Reduction

• Reducing waste generation volume and toxicity.
• Practicable for individuals and businesses.
• Includes reusing, buying less, efficient product use

Recycling

• Positively perceived waste management practice
• Saves resources, reduces landfill space
• Challenges due to plastic types, low-quality recycled plastics

Food Production & the Environment

• Billions work in agriculture, producing sufficient food for all

Food Security

• Food security is when most people have daily access to nutritious food.
• Food insecurity is chronic hunger and poor nutrition, harming a person's ability to lead a healthy life.

Major Causes of Food Insecurity

• Economic inequality
• Conflict, violence, and displacement
• Agricultural practices (traditional vs. industrialized)
• Climate change
• Food waste

Food Waste Distribution

• Percentage breakdown of food wastage across stages(on farm/slaughter, en route to market, retail/food service, household)

Impacts of Food Production

• Biodiversity loss
• Soil quality problems (topsoil erosion)
• Water pollution (pesticides, nutrient enrichment, algal growth)
• Air pollution (greenhouse gases, burning crop residues, animal digestion)
• Human health effects (pesticide residues)

Population & Sustainable Development

• Human population growth: past, present, future (historical data, projections, population density data)
• Carrying capacity: maximum population a given environment can sustain, depending on available resources and resource consumption rate
• The ecological footprint concept: land area needed to provide resources and assimilate the waste of a person or population.
• Sustainable development: Meeting present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Energy Use

• Fossil fuels: Non-renewable resources (coal, oil, natural gas).
• Coal formation: From organisms buried over millions of years under water and dirt
• Petroleum & natural gas formation: Mostly from marine plants and animals buried deep in the ocean.
• Role of automobile in the industrial revolution: Impact on infrastructure development, job creation, and lifestyle changes
• Types of energy use: Residential, commercial, industrial, transportation.
• Issues related to fossil fuel use (coal, oil, natural gas): Landscape damage, extraction processes, waste, pollution from use. Methods to improve extraction processes.
• Nuclear power: Not a fossil fuel, but requires mining uranium, which is non-renewable . Challenges include radiation protection, reactor safety, and nuclear waste disposal.
• Renewable energy sources: Solar, wind, hydropower, geothermal, biomass.

Green Building

• Impacts of current construction systems
• Approaches to green building (efficiency, reduction of impacts)
• Life cycle analysis (LCA)
• Green building tools
• Green building certification (e.g., LEED)

Environmental Risk and EIA

• Defining risk assessment and risk perception
• Decision-making process involving risk assessment and perception
• Understanding Environment Impact Assessment as a risk management tool
• Key Players during the EIA process
• Proponent (developer)
• Public administration/licensing authority.
• Population (directly and through representatives)
• Potential projects requiring an EIA: Protected areas, islands, coastal areas, reclamation, historical sites, hospitals

EIA Process

• Screening (determining if EIA is required)
• Scoping (identifying issues and impacts)
• EIA Report (evaluating impacts, mitigation strategies)
• Public & Consultation (public input, reasoned conclusion)
• Monitoring & Enforcement/Penalties