Recycling Research

About five years ago, in a geology science course, I came to understand the terminable nature fossil fuels. This awakening contributed to the rise of my environmental consciousness but also set forth a rush of questions about ways humanity can improve. The topic of recycling encompassed a great variety of inquietudes. "How is trash made into something useful? What can be recycled? Why isn't everybody doing this? What type of energy do recycling plants use, and if it's fossil fuels, then is it really as beneficial as proposed?" It's quite embarrassing to admit that all these years questions like these have bugged me but somehow not enough for me to go out of my way and find answers. Yet, in the light of this course, I have decided to break this vicious cycle of inaction. Here is what I found...
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The technical definition of recycling is when consumer goods are collected, converted back into raw materials, and remade into new consumer products. There are 4 major incentives to recycle:
1. Reduce the amount of garbage that ends up in landfills. (The more garbage, greater is the effect of underground pollution.)
2. Recycling will reduce the amount of natural resources needed to manufacture goods. In other words, less fossil fuels for plastic and less paper for trees.
3. Many times recycling uses less energy. This definitely true for steel but not so much for plastic (which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture)
4. "For cities in densely populated areas that have to pay by the ton for their landfill usage, recycling can shave millions of dollars off municipal budgets...Economic analysis shows that recycling can generate three times as much revenue per ton as landfill disposal and almost six times as many jobs."
The most common type of recycling is known as down-recycling which means that a recycled product is of less quality (or cheaper or weaker) than original product. Eventually, products become unfeasible candidates for "re"-recycling and are regarded as garbage.

Interesting facts about recycling:
* The EPA estimates that 75 percent of what Americans throw in the trash could actually be recycled
* Incinerating 10,000 tons of waste creates one job; landfilling 10,000 tons of waste creates six jobs; recycling 10,000 tons of waste creates 36 jobs
** The national recycling rate of 30 percent saves the equivalent of more than five billion gallons of gasoline, reducing dependence on foreign oil by 114 million barrels
* According to the EPA, recycling (including composting) diverted 68 million tons of material away from landfills and incinerators in 2001, up from 34 million tons in 1990
* Recycling aluminum cans at the curb not only covers the cost of collecting and re-processing aluminum, but helps subsidize the collection of other recyclables.



SOURCES:
1. http://science.howstuffworks.com/recycling.htm
2. http://earth911.org/recycling/curbside-recycling/curbside-recycling-fun-facts/

Thoughts...

I really like the book. It's personal enough so that I feel that Richard Wolfson is personally tutoring me. Its informative, easy to read, and CONCISE. It's so pleasant to read a textbook that isn't as dry as the ones in high school. I learned a lot, especially in the 2nd chapter when he used the metaphor of "energy servants" to explain energy consumption. His explanation of "fuels" was complete, enough as to say, that he explained it well enough for me understand in a clear and CONCISE way.

The third chapter is a wee bit more technical especially since he introduces formulas with SI units. Which means that I'll take me a little bit more time to truly comprehend it.

Quick question: how much of the first chapter is really important?

Thoughts about Plenary & Lab

THE PLENARY

The plenary experience was a positive one for two main reasons:
First, I enjoyed meeting two GW graduate students who take sustainability and recycling seriously and play an active role in our community to improve GWU. Although most of the information they provided is posted on GW's websites, it was see how dedicated these students are to make the school a more environmentally friendly institution. Their passion contaminated me and I'm more aware of the significance of this program.

Second, it was educational experience. In other words, now that I better understand GW’s recycling and sustainability programs, I am better equipped to explain them to my friends. And in effect, I did teach my roommate a few things and now we’re a little more conscious about recyclables and energy efficiency. So now when we leave are room, we double-check that all lights and the AC are off.


THE LAB

The lab was fairly simple and didn’t require a lot of previous knowledge on the subject or extensive preparation. We did familiarize ourselves with the equipment and our TAs and, in truth, that’s what I most got out of it.
If I get technical, there is something I didn’t like about the lab- the math. I understand I’m in a science related course and thus mathematics are inevitable but frankly, I’m not good at it. Don’t get me wrong I’m not complaining, on the contrary, I’m admitting I’m a bit slower when it comes to numbers and formulas. So far I’m taking it patiently, one number at a time.


P.S. Am I writing enough? If you need or would like me to be more expressive please tell me. Generally, I like to summarize but it doesn't mean its because I like to work less. I'm accustomed to saying things concisely.

Problems 1 & 2 for the Week of Sept. 8th

1. Force is anything that acts on a body to change its rate of acceleration or alter its momentum and is measured by Newtons. For example, the force generated by the motor of an electrical scooter can make it speed up and slow down.
Energy is the capacity for doing work, in other words, the capacity move an object against an opposing force. There are several forms of energy: kinetic energy is embodied by a moving object, potential energy refers to an object suspended in a gravitational field, and radiant electromagnetic energy is carried by photons. Energy is measured in joules.
Put simply, power is the rate at which energy is supplied or which work is done. The SI unit of power is the watt (equal to one joule per second).

2. (This question is a bit tougher for me and I haven't been able to find the answer online. So my answer is going to put together my previous chemistry knowledge and the information I found.)

The principal greenhouse gases (infrared active gases) are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. These five gases are compounds, thus proving that something within their chemical bonds allows these gases to trap thermal IR radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Carbon dioxide has two powerful double bonds between the carbon and both oxygen molecules. Nitrogen, on the other hand, is an element and alone lacks the energy of covalent bonds that allows the greenhouse gases to absorb infrared light.

FIRST BLOG EVER

Hi. This is my first blog, so I'm experimenting to see how it works.

See, I'm learning already. :-D