Eg. Charcoal is more energy-rich than wood, but it is not used very often...why? From Wood to Coal Benefits of wood: Benefits of charcoal: Coal __________________________________ mineral found in Earth's crust abundant supplies during Industrial Revolution made this the fuel of choice Approximately ____________________________________ of electricity in Alberta is generated through the combustion of coal Formation of coal Begins in tropical, swampy areas with a lot of __________________ and _____________________________________ Thick layers of plant debris collect over years, forming _____________________. Peat beings to decompose _________________________ (under low O2 conditions) More layers cause the bottom layers to compress, beginning the millions of years transformation to coal.
Determining Sustainability of Technologies Checklist TECHNOLOGY: NUCLEAR FISSION Type of Sustainability Criteria Score Ecological Sustainability Weighting = ____ Focus Question: Does the use of the technology protect resources (e.g., water, land, air, and biodiversity)? Specific Indicators: This technology… True = 2 Uncertain = 1 False = 0 …is on a renewable energy resource …maintains the quantity of surface water …maintains the quality of surface water …does not contribute to acid deposition …does not contribute to the presence of persistent organic pollutants in soil, or air …does not contribute to the presence of metals in water, soil, or air …recycles liquid and/or solid waste products …does not contribute to deforestation or habitat destruction …does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions …does not contribute to emissions of ozone-depleting materials …does not contribute to emissions of particulate matter …does not contribute to photochemical smog …does not threaten the survival of species at risk …does not contribute to the destruction of fragile ecosystems …does not contribute to the release of ionizing radiation …does not contribute to the mass of radioactive waste produced Total Ecological Indicators Percentage (total indicators  32  100%) Weighted Score (percentage  weighting) Societal Sustainability Weighting = ___ Focus Question: Does the use of the technology promote improved human health, education and opportunities for training, standard of living, and respect for diversity of cultural values within society? Specific Indicators: This technology… True = 2 Uncertain = 1 False = 0 …does not decrease life expectancy through exposure to pollution
…stimulates a healthy economy, enabling adequate health care …requires a highly trained workforce …requires the workforce to adapt to change through continuous training …reduces excessive land use (e.g., urban sprawl) …encourages per capita energy consumption to be reduced …stimulates a healthy economy, enabling affordable housing …requires co-operation of diverse cultural groups in decision making Societal Sustainability Percentage (total indicators  16  100%) Weighted Score (percentage  weighting) Economic Sustainability Weighting = ___ Focus Question: Does the use of the technology result in greater opportunities for employment, economic growth, increased GDP, and optimum locations and scheduling for production? Specific Indicators: This technology… True = 2 Uncertain = 1 False = 0 …supports full-time employment for the population …enables a higher proportion of the workforce to be paid reasonable wages …has a relatively low cost per megajoule (MJ) …enables development of other industry or opportunity …reduces the import of energy, contributing positively to the GDP …enables the export of energy, contributing positively to the GDP …can be used in a variety of locations that are well-suited to industry …allows for continuous, around-the-clock production …does not decrease the availability of natural resources Total Economic Sustainability Percentage indicators  18  100%) Weighted Score (percentage  weighting) Overall for Technology (Ecological + Societal + Economic) Overall Assessment of the Sustainability for this Energy Technology