1. In your own words define the following terms and why it is important that you (the next generation) must be knowledgeable on creating a sustainable society.
Water Efficiency:
Water efficiency means, promoting the sustainable use of water, while using solutions that enable comprehensive reductions in the waste of domestic water.
Energy Efficiency:
Energy efficiency is the use of less energy to perform the same task or produce the same result. Energy-efficient homes and buildings use less energy to heat, cool, and run appliances and electronics, and energy-efficient manufacturing facilities use less energy to produce goods.
Waste Efficiency:
Waste efficiency ensures the proper segregation of waste at source and to ensure that the waste goes through different streams of recycling and resource recovery.
Food Production:
Food production is all about preparing food, in which raw materials are converted into ready-made food products for human use either in the home or in the food processing industries.
2. In detail describe the ways your household contributes to the sustainability of our environment through:
Water Efficiency:
A few ways that my household is water efficient is by only using sprinklers when necessary and using a dishwasher instead of handwashing dishes all the time. Using a dishwasher is a lot more water efficient than hand washing as long as you are running a full load. As sprinklers use a huge amount of water, we only use them when it is legal (before 9am or after 6pm). We also mostly use them in the summer as there is way less rain than in winter.
Energy Efficiency:
My house has solar panels so that contributes to energy efficiency. Getting our energy from burning fossil fuels is very bad for the environment so the using of solar panels instead of burring fossil fuels contributes positively to our environment, helps to reduce your carbon footprint and helping you contribute less to climate change. .
Waste Efficiency:
At my house we have and use the green bin for our organic waste. This is a sustainable way to dispose of green waste it gets composted and is then not places in landfill. My family also recycles our plastic bottles with containers for change, where you can bring plastic bottles with the containers for change logo on them and get 10 cents back per bottle.
Food Production:
The way my household sustainably contributes to food production as we always try and buy free rage meat and eggs and organic produce from local markets when we can.
3. For each of the areas, describe how your household could improve its efficiency.
Water Efficiency
- Taking shorter showers we can monitor this by playing a 4 minute song.
- Turning the tap off while your washing hands with soap and when you are brushing your teeth.
Energy Efficiency:
- Turning off lights when you’re not in a room
- Try not to use the lights in the daytime if its a sunning day.
- Trying to use the heater/air conditioner less.
Waste Efficiency:
- Always checking if plastics are recyclable, and if they are putting them in the correct bin.
- Not putting food waste in the general waste bin and not putting general waste in the food water bin.
- Saving food that wasn’t eaten for leftovers.
Food Production:
- Trying to go to local markets more often.
4. Name three Leave No Trace Principles that you could incorporate into your daily life to promote sustainability in our society. Explain how these practises may promote sustainability.
- Leave what you find: When you go somewhere, leave it as you found it. Do not dig trenches for tents as this could disrupt the area and try not to take home any thing that you may find in the area that you are staying. This promotes sustainability as it doesn’t disrupt the area you are staying and lets wildlife flourish after you have left the area.
- Dispose of waste properly: Always make sure that you dispose of your rubbish wherever you go or even better take your rubbish home with you. This promotes sustainability as it helps to keep materials in use for as long as possible and minimize the amount of solid waste that is disposed of in landfill.
- Respect wildlife: Do not disturb animals in their natural habitats just to get a picture or a closer look, don’t try and touch them. This promotes sustainability as it keeps wildlife the way it was and keeps some places free of human intervention.
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