Sustainability in Materials

 

Introduction

Sustainable materials are defined as “materials used throughout our consumer and industrial economy that can be produced in required volumes without depleting non-renewable resources and without disrupting the established steady-state equilibrium of the environment and key natural resource systems.”  As keeping the environment healthy has become a higher and higher concern, people have begun looking for ways to take everyday items and turn them into something environmentally friendly.  In this post I will look at what materials count as sustainable, what objects could be considered sustainable based on these materials, and what controversies may still exist within this topic.

Types of Sustainable Materials

Sustainable materials are, of course, often made from various plants or natural materials.  If a material is not man-made and does not have to go through a process involving chemicals, it is likely to be a more sustainable option.  Some examples of sustainable materials include:

• Bamboo
• Cork
• Hemp
• Wool
• Organic Cotton
• Clay
• Beeswax

Examples of Sustainable Items

One thing that you may not have thought of as having the opportunity to be sustainable is clothing.  Obviously, we use clothing every day, but a lot of clothing is not used for a person’s whole life, whether because children grow out of their clothes, people wish to change their style, or the clothing simply gets old.  The good news is there are lots of brands that work to make their clothing sustainable, and it wouldn’t be terribly difficult to find clothing considered sustainable.  For example, clothing that is 100% cotton can often be recycled, and materials like organic hemp or organic linen are made from plants that can thrive many places and in different soils without the use of pesticides.  This means these two specific plants can be grown many places without having to clear new land so the crops can thrive, and in the case of hemp, it can actually fertilize the soil, making it better for different crops in the future.

In addition to fashion, many other household every-day items can be replaced with more sustainable ones.  Some examples may be:

• Using a reusable water bottle instead of plastic ones
• Biodegradable trash bags (I have found these at McLanahans)
• Reusable coffee filters for coffee machines (like a Keurig)
• Shampoo/conditioner/lotion bars instead of bottles
• Reusable or biodegradable straws
• Rechargeable batteries
• Reusable grocery bags

Many of these items are easy to find, and can be more economically beneficial in the long run.  For example, we have to drink water every day.  A person who drinks 64 oz of water a day would be using about 3.2 plastic bottles a day, costing them about $4.80 a day.   If a person were to replace water bottles with a $40 Hydro Flask, it would take only 8.3 days to make up for the price, and in the process they would be saving 26.67 water bottles in that amount of time.  While a reusable water bottle is considerably more expensive in the moment, it takes just over a week to spend more on plastic water bottles than on a reusable one.  This goes to show that in many cases it may actually be beneficial for a person to invest in more sustainable items.

Controversy

As with many other areas of sustainability, there is still controversy and truthfully some valid points as to why it is not always better.  In fashion, some have argued that many brands really aren’t that sustainable.  In fact, there is no set definition as to what sustainable fashion means, and as Eco Age puts it, “at its core fashion is centered around the constant production and use of new items, which is inherently unsustainable.”  Additionally, there are cases where a sustainable product may really be much more pricey than the non-sustainable option, and therefore don’t sell as well in stores.  Another way sustainable products may not be great is when they really trade one non-sustainable trait for another.  One example of this is when McDonald’s attempted to replace plastic straws with paper ones.  Customers began pointing out that the plastic ones can be recycled whereas the paper ones cannot, and while reducing the use of plastic straws may benefit some wildlife, increasing the use of paper straws involves destroying more wooded habitats for paper production.  In addition to the change really just being a tradeoff of what wildlife was harmed, the paper straws tended to perform poorly.  Making sustainable materials and objects can be a lot more complicated than one would think, and the entire process of acquiring and making an object must be considered.

Conclusion

There are many everyday objects we use that have greener, more sustainable options than the ones typically used.  In the case of plastic water bottles, it seems an easy choice to replace them with reusable one.  With only about 9% of recycled plastic actually being recycled, it is even more important to come up with ways to reduce plastic use.  However, there are times when a sustainable option may not really be that sustainable, or is too pricey for the average person to afford.  As we continue to learn how to make products more sustainable, we must look at both the successes and failures to learn and create a better future.  As a consumer, one of the best ways to help with this issue is to simply look into the products you are buying; to understand how a product is made and what it is made from.  There may be some very small changes you can make that can help improve our world.

 

Sources:

http://sustain.rutgers.edu/what_are_sustainable_materials#:~:text=Sustainable%20materials%20are%20materials%20used,and%20key%20natural%20resource%20systems.

Sustainable materials

What Are the Most Sustainable Fabrics?

The True Cost of Bottled Water

What is the Problem with ‘Sustainable Fashion’?

Sustainability fails: 10 brands that got it wrong

 

Explain the issue you will address in your brief and how it is an intervention in a policy discussion

For my brief I will address the issue of reducing recidivism through re-entry programs.  As the US has one of the highest incarceration rates, discussion on how to reduce this has become a more prevalent topic.  As many as 68% of released inmate are arrested again within three years, and the percentage increases to 83% after nine years (Bureau of Justic). Many of the rehabilitation or re-entry programs prisons have implemented have had positive results.  If these programs can help reduce recidivism, then it makes sense to discuss how to more widely implement these programs, as it would decrease incarceration rates as well.  My brief will be an intervention because it will take the information and studies done within this topic and suggest a possible solution or course of action to take.  Furthermore it will take into consideration various arguments about this topic and look for a solution that may be widely agreed upon.

Discuss how you will address the exigence and the rhetorical situation to open your issue brief and the audiences for your issue brief

I will probably open my issue brief by discussing specific examples of how this topic is important to us right now, and by giving statistics of what the current system looks like.  For example, I may use the statistics I wrote about above as it would make it clear a way to reduce incarceration rates would be to simply reduce recidivism rates.

Identify the “cause” of the issue you are addressing in your brief,  selected from one of the four categories of causes from the “Causes” reading (intentional, inadvertent, mechanical, accidental).

This issue would probably fall under mechanical causes, as the process of inmates going to prison, being released, and ending up back in prison usually follows a pattern and set system.  While this system of justice works generally well in keeping people safe, it tends to not do anything for the prisoners, when it is possible that there may be less crime if prisoners were helped instead of just sent through the system.

Write about which of the four kinds of policy instruments (or combinations) named in the “Making Policy” reading you are likely to use in crafting your policy for your issue brief

I think my issue brief will most likely use the “system changes” policy instrument as adding programs into the existing system would be changing the system.  However, this may also involve “capacity builders” and “inducements” depending on what the new program looks like.

 

Sources:

https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=6266

Team 2:

Create a Solid Information Base: Our group had done a lot of research and organized as much as we could into the issue guide to make sure the participants were well informed.  Additionally, many participants and some of our own group members were able to share personal stakes they have with genetic engineering, which opened up new perspectives for the group.  This was done by having participants state personal stakes in the zoom chat so we could hear from more people in the short time span.

Identify a Broad Range of Solutions: Our three approaches addressed the two polar opposite stances on genetic engineering, which were opening it to anyone who wants to use it and keeping it closed to anyone.  Our third approach gave a middle ground and took the stance that only those with medical conditions should have access to genetic engineering.  This approach also allowed for a variety of solutions as it could further be discussed what counts as a medical condition or if, for example, only those with terminal medical conditions should be allowed access.

Weigh the Pros, Cons, and Trade-offs Among Solutions: This was accomplished by giving pros and cons for each approach in the issue guide.  Additionally, during the deliberation participants were able to share the possible cons of their favorite approach or what they thought was good about others.  This occurred especially with the third approach, where participants discussed what the limits of the approach should be concerning what medical conditions should qualify for genetic modifications.

Adequately Distribute Speaking Opportunities: There were no instances where participants interrupted each other or dominated the conversation.  Some participants did contribute more than others, but many were able to share their views openly.

Ensure Mutual Comprehension: Most statements made were clearly understood, but occasionally the moderator would summarize or clarify a statement or the past few statements in order to make sure the whole group could clearly understand what was being discussed.

Respect Other Participants: Again, no one purposefully interrupted another participant or tried to force their personal view.  Some participants shared personal stories or reasons for their stances, and in response other participants would acknowledge their story and potentially add on to it.  Additionally, the moderators often acknowledged statements by saying “that’s a good point” or asking if anyone else wanted to add on to it.

 

Sustainability in Agriculture

Introduction

As UC Davis puts it, “the goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s food and textile needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”  Sustainable agriculture also seeks to do things such as increase economic success.  As agriculture is something we all rely on, steps to make agriculture more sustainable is one we can all take part of, whether we’re growing/developing the product, processing the product, or buying the product.  There are many subtopics under this wide umbrella (such as energy conservation, water use efficiency, pest management, etc.) and each comes with its own set of successful and controversial traits.

Simple Methods of Sustainable Agriculture

One example of a “simpler” method of sustainable architecture is biodynamic farming, where all the organisms support the others in various ways.  For example, if certain animals are allowed into a crop field, they may help reduce pests because they consume them, and their waste would fertilize the soil.  If this were the case, the farmer would not have to spread manure with machinery and would not have to use pesticides as heavily.  Of course, there are limitations.  Some animals may destroy crops, and certain pests may still require the use of pesticides because an animal does not consume them.  Another example of a “simpler” method is polyculture.  According to GreenTumble, this involves growing multiple crops in one area that compliment or help sustain each other.  This is commonly practiced with maize, beans, and squash, a trio that has even been named “the Three Sisters.”

More Elaborate Methods of Sustainable Agriculture

There are other more technologically advanced methods of sustainable agriculture, including hydroponics and aquaponics and urban agriculture.  To start with, hydroponics is “a way to skip the soil, sub in a different material to support the roots of the plant, and grow crops directly in nutrient-rich water” (Vertical Roots).  An advantage with this system is that there is actually less water consumption, as growing crops with this method often means there is less water evaporation.  Aquaponics combines hydroponics with raising aquatic organisms.  For example, a hydroponics system may sit on top of a fish tank, where the fish waste fertilizes the plants and the plants in return help recirculate water for the fish.  Urban agriculture is, simply put, farming in an urban setting.  This often involves rooftop or balcony gardens and vertical gardens (which often uses hydroponics).

Controversy

Like with sustainable architecture, some methods of sustainable agriculture face the problem of trading off one unsustainable thing for another.  This becomes an issue more with the “elaborate” sustainable agriculture methods.  One example of this would be with the vertical gardens.  While the idea is certainly helpful in many ways, it sometimes involves higher electricity consumptions.  Similarly, with hydroponic agriculture often being done indoors, artificial light is needed, causing a higher electricity consumption.  Because of these things some argue it is not worth it to pursue methods of sustainable agriculture that don’t really have much of an environmental benefit.  Others argue that a process can continue to be developed, or that sustainable agriculture is not entirely about the environmental benefits either.  Sustainable agriculture also refers to increased productivity and more positive economic benefits, so while methods like hydroponics may not be entirely better for the environment, it an increase productivity.

Conclusion

As with my previous post on sustainable architecture, sustainable agriculture faces issues related to environmental benefit in various ways.  Many of the methods of sustainable agriculture also involve moving back to using less machinery, which means greater environmental benefit but less productivity in many cases.  There are smaller things each of us can do to help agriculture become more sustainable.  The consumer plays a huge role in sustainable agriculture.  You can even do your part but planting your own smaller garden, as many of the sustainable methods work well when done at a small scale.  While the argument about the best way to move forward with sustainable agriculture is still being debated, there has been a lot of progress.

 

Images:

https://solarimpulse.com/sustainable-agriculture-solutions

https://www.asyousow.org/blog/2020/8/31/sustainable-agriculture-solution-industrial-agriculture

https://www.tompkinscortland.edu/academics/programs/sustainable-farming-and-food-systems

Sources:

https://sarep.ucdavis.edu/sustainable-ag

10 Sustainable Agriculture Methods and Farming Practices

The What and Why of Hydroponic Farming

Sustainability in Architecture

Introduction

In recent years, sustainable architecture has become a prominent example of sustainability and how to incorporate it into daily life.  Simply put, sustainable architecture are building designs made in such a way to minimize human impact on the environment.  Some of the more common or recognized forms of sustainable design include solar panels and “green walls.”  Everything from the materials used to the heating and electrical systems (e.g. solar panels) can be modified to become more sustainable.  This kind of architecture is popular worldwide, and is still growing in popularity.  It is now even possible to major in sustainable architecture at some universities.  In this post I will explore the uses of sustainability in architecture, the controversy surrounding it, and when this new type of architecture may work or not.

How Sustainability Has Been Used in Architecture

As discussed in an HMC Architecture article, there are multiple strategies for sustainable architecture.   This includes passive sustainable design (considering sun orientation and such in a design to keep lighting and heat costs lower), active sustainable design (implementing high efficiency/sustainable systems into the building), using green building materials and finishes, and more.   As mentioned above, some of the more popular versions of sustainable designs include solar panels (which has become more affordable as well, with the prices dropping to 50% of what they were in 2014 and usage increasing 35-fold since 2008 according to the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), and green walls, which have been implemented in designs as simply beautiful botanical walls and also given purposes like growing foods for communities on rooftops or in vertical gardens.  Other things can also be considered sustainable design, such as using spaces that may not normally be used (such as rooftops), using LED lights, and incorporating recycled materials into designs.  While not every design idea is applicable in every area of the world, some areas may take advantage of good sunlight and orient a building so the sun provides most of the heat, or use natural ventilation by keeping large windows open, or even taking advantage of heavy rain falls by collecting the rain water to be used elsewhere.

Controversy About Sustainable Architecture

While sustainable architecture is now considered “mainstream” and widely accepted, there are still areas that bring up controversy and issues.  Perhaps the biggest criticism of sustainable design is that while one area can successfully become environmentally friendly, the efforts are often lost because the “green” qualities of one area cause another to require much less “green” qualities than it normally would.  For example, an ArchDaily article points out that “green walls” are not always that sustainable, as they usually leave no room for anything else on the wall, leading to a greater need for artificial lights and/or ventilation.  The article also alludes to the idea that resilience may be just as powerful as “green designs” if they do not need to be repaired or updated as often.  It has also been argued that while sustainable architecture may be considered mainstream, many architects are really not properly educated on how to incorporate sustainability into their designs, and therefore their designs tend to not be as sustainable as was expected.  All in all, the controversy surrounding sustainable architecture tends to not be about whether or not it should be implemented and expected, but whether or not the steps taken toward green designs actually are more environmentally friendly.

When Sustainability Doesn’t Work

Obviously, some types of sustainability are not useful everywhere.  If you live north of the arctic circle (or even near it for that matter) solar panels are probably not a convenient source of light and energy, as much of the year is spent in complete darkness.  Similarly, if you live in at a higher elevation or in a colder area, it’s probably not helpful to keep wide open spaces in walls for natural ventilation…or to try to collect rain water for reuse in a desert area.  As discussed before too, some aspects of a sustainable design may cause a need for a much less environmentally friendly aspect somewhere else in the building, which of course effectively cancels out efforts to make the building sustainable.

Conclusion

Sustainable architecture has become a widely accepted and praised aspect of sustainability as a whole.  These designs often come out to be cheaper in the long run, however have faced criticism for not being as green as everyone originally thought.  Even so, scientists and designers are constantly considering new ways to create more sustainable designs that truly do reduce environmental impacts, and many ways of recycling materials into new buildings have already been discovered.  I hope that in the future the positive effects of sustainable architecture will be undeniable, but in the meantime the topic is certainly interesting and will probably continue to hold the interest of many architects and designers.

 

Sources:

https://www.thespruce.com/what-is-sustainable-architecture-4846497

The Top 6 Sustainable Architecture Strategies for Public Building Design

https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-united-states#:~:text=Solar%20power%20is%20more%20affordable,million%20average%20American%20homes1.

17 Sustainable Architecture Design Ideas

https://www.archdaily.com/396263/why-green-architecture-hardly-ever-deserves-the-name

https://www.archdaily.com/782905/when-it-comes-to-sustainable-design-architects-still-dont-get-it

https://www.architectmagazine.com/aia-architect/four-decades-of-green-design_o

Images:

https://medium.com/in-kind/sustainable-architecture-sustainability-explained-ea2e76bceb69

https://www.planradar.com/sustainable-architecture/

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/buildings-prove-sustainable-architecture-high-design-perfect-pair