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Essential idea
Essential idea
Resource management and sustainable production carefully consider three key issues—consumption of raw materials, consumption of energy, and production of waste—in relation to managing resources and reserves effectively and making production more sustainable.
Resource management and sustainable production carefully consider three key issues—consumption of raw materials, consumption of energy, and production of waste—in relation to managing resources and reserves effectively and making production more sustainable.
Nature of Design
Nature of Design
Nature of Design
Nature of Design
As non-renewable resources run out, designers need to develop innovative solutions to meet basic human needs for energy, food and raw materials. The development of renewable and sustainable resources is one of the major challenges of the 21st century for designers.
Aims
Aims
Aim 3: Much of the development of new resources is the product of creating sustainable solutions to existing problems.
Aim 10: The legacy of the industrial revolution is now being felt as we face resource depletion. The challenge for designers is to continue to develop products that meet the needs of humans, while conserving the environment for future generations.
Guidance
Guidance
As DP Design Technology student you should:
As DP Design Technology student you should:
Understand the economic and political importance of material and land resources and reserves.
Analyze and evaluate the set-up cost, efficiency of conversion, sustainable and constant supply, social impact, environmental impact and decommissioning
Compare and evaluate the use of renewable and non-renewable resources in a design context
Predict and evaluate the positive or negative impact that a development may have on the environment
Concepts and principles
Concepts and principles
Renewable Resources
Renewable Resources
Renewable resources is defined as a resource that can be replaced (or replenished) over time, or does not abate at all.
Wood is a good example of a renewable resource that is replaced with the passage of time. Softwoods such as pine grow relatively quickly and are considered renewable. It is important to note that not all types of wood or "natural" resources can be considered renewable. Some types of hardwood, for example, are not considered renewable because they take a very long time to grow.
Sources of energy such as wind, solar, or wave energy are other examples of renewable resources.
Non-renewable resources
Non-renewable resources
Non-renewable resources are extracted and used at rate greater than are replaced. Their rate of replenishment is not sustainable. Most non-renewable resources are carbon-based and need to be burnt to extract their energy.
Non-renewable resources of energy tend to be common--oil, gas, nuclear, and coal--and are typically burnt to extract their energy. They are significant contributors of greenhouse gases and air and water pollution. There are finite quantities of these resources for example, are readily available and affordable options for designers.
Metals and plastics are good examples of non-renewable resources. Although both these types of materials can be recycled, they represent a more or less finite quantity.
Infographic: How long will the non-renewable energy resource base last?
Infographic: How long will the non-renewable energy resource base last?
(Click to enlarge)
Reserves
Reserves
Reserves are proven resources that can be economically and technically extracted.
In some cases reserves may exist but it is not economically viable to extract them or the technology does not exist yet.
Deepwater drilling for oil
Extraction of gold
Extraction of gold from seawater
Lithium
fracking
Oilsands
Energy sources
(click image to enlarge)
Source: By Delphi234 (File:Global energy potential perez 2009 en.svg) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons
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Oil Reserves by Country and Largest Oil and Gas companies
(click to enlarge)
Political and economic importance of reserves
Political and economic importance of reserves
Land-based reserves may be located within national borders or spread out around the world. This distribution of resources has political and economical impacts for nations. South Korea, for instance, is a large consumer of LPG yet it has no domestic reserves of this gas. All LPG used in the country is imported from overseas.
balancing of economic benefits and political impact
impact of extraction the extraction of resources on local populations
Multinational oil and mining companies will be invited to develop a resources in a country, and pay a fee to the country to do so. This development can increase wealth and bring employment opportunities, but it can also increase wage gaps. Much of wealth generated by extraction leaves the country.
Rare Earth minerals are very valuable and essential components for many 21st century technologies. However, their extraction can be hugely damaging to the local populations.
consideration of economic and political significance of resources and reserves might include:
setup costs: Typically very high and require the support or participation of local or national governments, or multinational companies
supply: needs to be economically and technically feasible.
social impact: The positive and negative impacts on the local communities of developing the resource
environmental impact
Decommissioning: The plan for when the resource is depleted. How will the infrastructure (factories, roads, etc.), communities, and natural environment be protected or developed after the resource is no longer extracted.
Rare earth mining in China: the bleak social and environmental costs, Guardian article
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High Demand for Rare Earth Minerals and their impact on National Security, Infographic from Mining University
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Is Africa’s ‘Resource Nationalism’ Just Big Business As Usual?; African Power, Mining & Oil Review Magazine
Impact of design choices
Impact of design choices
As a designer, understanding the type of the resources used in the manufacture, distribution, use, and end-of-life of your product is an important responsibility. We are working with a limited quantity of resources and therefore have a responsibility to design in a sustainable manner. Multinational companies extract and use resources from around the world. The decisions we make as a designer can positively and negatively impact resources and reserves.
Society consumes renewable and non-renewable resources in order to meet basic needs such as food, health, shelter, and so on. As designers, we must seek out opportunities for innovation that maximize the use of renewable resources and minimize the negative impact of our designs on society and the natural environment.
Evaluation of resources and their impact on the Environment
Evaluation of resources and their impact on the Environment
Designers have a variety of tools they can use to determine, measure, and compare the impact of their design choices.
The OVAM Ecolizer is one such Life-Cycle-Analysis tool. Learn more about it here
In the news:
In the news:
Cobalt Mining and Apple
Cobalt Mining and Apple
Read about Apple's strategic decision to secure a cobalt supply
Apple's potential cobalt mining play is about more than money CNBC
Cobalt mining, Washington Post
The Cost of Cobalt, Washington Post
Implementing sustainable resource management practices in developing countries can be challenging due to various factors. Some of these challenges are:
1. Poverty: Large portions of the population in developing countries live below the International Poverty Line, making it difficult to advance the societal aspect of sustainability[1].
2. Lack of awareness: Many people in developing countries may not be aware of the importance of sustainable resource management practices and their impact on the environment, society, and the economy[2].
3. Limited resources: Developing countries may have limited resources, making it difficult to invest in sustainable resource management practices[2].
4. Lack of infrastructure: Developing countries may lack the necessary infrastructure to support sustainable resource management practices, such as waste management facilities and renewable energy sources[2].
5. Political instability: Political instability can hinder the implementation of sustainable resource management practices by creating an uncertain environment for investment and policy-making[3].
6. Poor management: Poor management of natural resources can lead to biodiversity loss, land degradation, and other environmental problems, which can make it difficult to implement sustainable resource management practices[4].
To overcome these challenges, it is essential to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable resource management practices, invest in infrastructure, and develop policies that support sustainable development. Additionally, it is crucial to involve local communities in the decision-making process to ensure that their needs and concerns are taken into account[5].
Citations:
[1] https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/ba9a4828b0fe002c367b77b60398cfa3bdcb630e
[2] https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/60603b35d30a00f9197c64a574b1259abfaa1062
[3] https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/downloadpdf/10.1093/oso/9780192846938.001.0001/oso-9780192846938-chapter-19.pdf
[4] https://journals.rta.lv/index.php/JRESD/article/download/6974/5791
[5] https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/13/4/572/pdf?version=1612746733
By Perplexity at https://www.perplexity.ai/search/58e44c9b-0101-4f5d-91e1-a54ab8ca1140
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