Environmental Engineering and Sustainable Technologies

While it may seem that environmental sustainability and sustainable development are one in the same, there is quite a few ways in which they diverge in their goals. They do have the same overall goal that of conserving natural resources and creating more energy efficient projects and practices – but the two groups that are focused on them may find themselves in disagreement about what the priorities of actions are. Having a better understanding of how they are different and the same can help you do know how to navigate dealing with both. The goal of environmental sustainability is to conserve natural resources and to develop alternate sources of power while reducing pollution and harm to the environment. For environmental sustainability, the state of the future – as measured in 50, 100 and 1,000 years is the guiding principle. Many of the projects that are rooted in environmental sustainability will involve replanting forests, preserving wetlands and protecting natural areas from resource harvesting. The biggest criticism of environmental sustainability initiatives is that their priorities can be at odds with the needs of a growing industrialized society. Sustainable development is the practice of developing land and construction projects in a manner that reduces their impact on the environment by allowing them to create energy efficient models of self-sufficiency. This can take the form of installing solar panels or wind generators on factory sites, using geothermal heating techniques or even participating in cap and trade agreements. The biggest criticism of sustainable development is that it does not do enough to conserve the environment in the present and is based on the belief that the harm done in one area of the world can be counter balanced by creating environmental protections in the other.

Environmental economics is an area of economics that studies the financial impact of environmental policies. This field of economics helps users design appropriate environmental policies and analyze the effects and merits of existing or proposed policies. Resource management is acquiring, allocating and managing the resources, such as individuals and their skills, finances, technology, materials, machinery and natural resources required for a project. Resource management ensures that internal and external resources are used effectively on time and to budget.

Biofuel, any fuel that is derived from biomass—that is, plant or algae material or animal waste. Since such feedstock material can be replenished readily, biofuel is considered to be a source of renewable energy, unlike fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas. Unlike other renewable energy sources, biomass can be converted directly into liquid fuels, called "biofuels," to help meet transportation fuel needs. The two most common types of biofuels in use today are ethanol and biodiesel, both of which represent the first generation of biofuel technology. Biomass is the total mass of biological material, both living and recently dead, in a defined area. In an ecological context, biomass often refers to the amount of biological material in different parts of an ecological pyramid or in different ecological communities. Biomass feed stocks include dedicated energy crops, agricultural crop residues, forestry residues, algae, wood processing residues, municipal waste. Bioenergy is one of many diverse resources available to help meet our demand for energy. It is a form of renewable energy that is derived from recently living organic materials known as biomass, which can be used to produce transportation fuels, heat, electricity, and products. Bioenergy can be traced back to energy from sunlight, produced via photosynthesis, making it a major renewable energy source. As a storage house of bioenergy, biomass can be considered to be natures 'solar batteries'. The energy biomass produces can be converted into electricity, heat or biofuels.

Global Environmental Change addresses large-scale chemical, biological, geological, and physical perturbations of the Earth's surface, ocean, land surface, and hydrologic cycle with special attention to time scales of decades to centuries, to human-caused perturbations and their impacts on society. Ecosystem management is an approach to natural resource management that aims to ensure the long-term sustainability and persistence of an ecosystems function and services while meeting socioeconomic, political, and cultural needs. The seven core principles of ecosystem are —ecosystem and community sustainability, ecosystem health, ecosystem integrity, biological diversity, social values, social principles.

Climate change, together with other natural and human-made health stressors, influences human health and disease in numerous ways. Some existing health threats will intensify and new health threats will emerge. Not everyone is equally at risk. Important considerations include age, economic resources, and location. In the U.S., public health can be affected by disruptions of physical, biological, and ecological systems, including disturbances originating here and elsewhere. The health effects of these disruptions include increased respiratory and cardiovascular disease, injuries and premature deaths related to extreme weather events, changes in the prevalence and geographical distribution of food- and water-borne illnesses and other infectious diseases, and threats to mental health.

Nanotechnology is the understanding and control of matter at the nanometer scale, where unique phenomena enable novel applications. Encompassing nanoscale science, engineering, and technology, nanotechnology involves imaging, measuring, modeling, and manipulating matter at this length scale. Nanotechnology improves existing industrial processes, materials and applications by scaling them down to the nanoscale in order to ultimately fully exploit the unique quantum and surface phenomena that matter exhibits at the nanoscale.

Environmental Engineering is a very popular discipline of engineering that deals with the issues related to the environment. The Environmental Engineers devote themselves finding out renewable sources of energy and solutions to curb pollution and other environmental issues. They work for the sustainable development of the earth and its living organisms. They also make devices for waste and water management in rural and urban areas, improved sanitation system, to stop the water-borne diseases. They study the effects of technological growth on environment such as: the effects of global warming, pollution, reason for shortage of rainfall, acid rain etc. In short, the Environmental Engineers are constantly engaged in maintaining the health of the earth and the living creatures on it. Biochemistry is the branch of science that explores the chemical processes within and related to living organisms. It is a laboratory based science that brings together biology and chemistry. ... Biochemistry covers a range of scientific disciplines, including genetics, microbiology, forensics, plant science and medicine.

Crystallization is the process by which a solid forms, where the atoms or molecules are highly organized into a structure known as a crystal. Some of the ways by which crystals form are precipitating from a solution, freezing, or more rarely deposition directly from a gas. Attributes of the resulting crystal depend largely on factors such as temperature, air pressure, and in the case of liquid crystals, time of fluid evaporation. Crystallization occurs in two major steps. The first is nucleation, the appearance of a crystalline phase from either a super cooled liquid or a supersaturated solvent. The second step is known as crystal growth, which is the increase in the size of particles and leads to a crystal state. An important feature of this step is that loose particles form layers at the crystal's surface and lodge themselves into open inconsistencies such as pores, cracks, etc.

Sustainable technology is an umbrella term that describes innovation that considers natural resources and fosters economic and social development. The goal of these technologies is to drastically reduce environmental and ecological risks and to create a sustainable product. Sustainability in technology can be defined in a few ways: Substitution. The technology fosters a shift from non-biodegradable to biodegradable materials in its production. It also replaces non-renewable with renewable resources. Prevention. The sustainable technology prevents deterioration, contamination, and other negative environmental impacts through its use or production. Efficiency. The technology is efficient in terms of its use of energy and resources. Clean technology, in short clean tech, is any process, product, or service that reduces negative environmental impacts through significant energy efficiency improvements, the sustainable use of resources, or environmental protection activities. Clean technology includes a broad range of technology related to recycling, renewable energy, information technology, green transportation, electric motors, green chemistry, lighting, grey water, and more. Environmental finance is a method by which new clean technology projects that have proven that they are "additional" or "beyond business as usual" can obtain financing through the generation of carbon credits. A project that is developed with concern for climate change mitigation is also known as a carbon project.

Marine science studies the interactions between the living world and its environment. It is a multi-disciplinary field, combining aspects of many disciplines, such as biology, geography, ecological economics, chemistry, environmental history, and sociology. Marine ecology is the study of living things in the ocean and how they interact with their environment. It is an interdisciplinary science that combines biology with physical sciences (e.g. geology, chemistry, oceanography, geophysics, statistics). The aquatic environment can be defined as interacting system of resources such as water and biota. The world has a variety of lotic and lentic aquatic environments, which are a major source of food to millions of people across the earth. Hence, the dynamics of aquatic environment depends on the properties of water.

Soil ecology is the study of how soil organisms interact with other organisms and their environment – their influence on and response to numerous soil processes and properties form the basis for delivering essential ecosystem services. Soil contamination or soil pollution as part of land degradation is caused by the presence of xenobiotic chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It is typically caused by industrial activity, agricultural chemicals or improper disposal of waste. Soil science is the study of soil as a natural resource on the surface of the Earth including soil formation, classification and mapping; physical, chemical, biological, and fertility properties of soils; and these properties in relation to the use and management of soils.

The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the Earth's surface. When the Sun's energy reaches the Earth's atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases. Ozone depletion, gradual thinning of Earth's ozone layer in the upper atmosphere caused by the release of chemical compounds containing gaseous chlorine or bromine from industry and other human activities. The thinning is most pronounced in the polar regions, especially over Antarctica.

Bioremediation is the use of microbes to clean up contaminated soil and groundwater. Microbes are very small organisms, such as bacteria, that live naturally in the environment. Bioremediation stimulates the growth of certain microbes that use contaminants as a source of food and energy. Types of Bioremediation 1) Bio stimulation. As the name suggests, the bacteria is stimulated to initiate the process. 2) Bio augmentation. At times, there are certain sites where microorganisms are required to extract the contaminants. 3) Intrinsic Bioremediation. Incineration. Phytoremediation. Biodegradation is the process by which organic substances are decomposed by micro-organisms (mainly aerobic bacteria) into simpler substances such as carbon dioxide, water and ammonia. In some cases, specialized microbial cultures are added (bio stimulation) to further enhance biodegradation. Some examples of bioremediation related technologies are phytoremediation, bioventing, bio attenuation, composting (bio piles and windrows), and land farming.

Green energy is that which comes from natural sources, such as the sun. Clean energy are those types which do not release pollutants into the air, and renewable energy comes from sources that are constantly being replenished, such as hydropower, wind power or solar energy. A green economy is defined as low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. UN Environment promotes a development path that understands natural capital as a critical economic asset and a source of public benefits, especially for poor people whose livelihoods depend on natural resources.

Energy is defined as 'the capacity to do work'. Sun is the primary source of energy. Joule is the standard unit of energy in SI units. Energy utilization is an index of economic development, which does not take into account of ill effects/damage on to environment. Nuclear Energy and the Environment provides an assessment, based on the opinions and findings of international experts in the field of atomic energy, of the environmental impact of the different stages of the nuclear fuel cycle. Chapters in the book cover different subjects in the use of nuclear energy such as the environmental impacts of energy production and use; the environmental impact of mining and milling of radioactive ores, upgrading processes, and the fabrication of nuclear fuels; none radiological environmental implications of nuclear energy; and the technology and environmental hazards of nuclear waste disposal. Nuclear scientists, environmentalists, ecologists, nuclear engineers, and policy makers will find the book interesting.

Industrial waste problems, especially those involving hazardous waste, are an ongoing problem. They have a high profile, and as such are reported regularly in the media. Examples of past mishaps are Love Canal, New York; Times Beach, Missouri, Italy. In our modern day world, with our use of plastics, cars, leather, and pesticides, it is now accepted that they have "side effects." Within the last number of years, there has been a move to clean these problems. Presented here is a review of current studies concerning biological treatment of hazardous waste, along with non-biological strategies. Biological treatment is an expanding field which has shown success in remediation of hazardous waste problems. It is not the only treatment technology available and does not have to be used in isolation, nor is it without limitations.

Solid waste management refers to the collecting, treating, and disposing of solid material that is discarded or is no longer useful. Solid waste management is an important aspect of urban area management. Improper disposal of municipal solid waste can create unsanitary conditions, which can lead to environmental pollution and the outbreak of vector-borne disease. The task of solid waste management presents complex technical challenges. They also pose various economic, administrative, and social problems which need urgent attention. The major sources of solid waste are households; agricultural fields; industries and mining, hotels and catering; roads and railways; hospitals and educational institutions; cultural centers and places of recreation and tourism, etc. Plastic waste is also a solid waste.

An ECV is a physical, chemical or biological variable or a group of linked variables that critically contributes to the characterization of Earth’s climate. ECV datasets provide the empirical evidence needed to understand and predict the evolution of climate, to guide mitigation and adaptation measures, to assess risks and enable attribution of climate events to underlying causes, and to underpin climate services. They are required to support the work of the UNFCCC and the IPCC. ECVs are identified based on the following criteria: Relevance: The variable is critical for characterizing the climate system and its changes. Feasibility: Observing or deriving the variable on a global scale is technically feasible using proven, scientifically understood methods. Cost effectiveness: Generating and archiving data on the variable is affordable, mainly relying on coordinated observing systems using proven technology, taking advantage where possible of historical datasets.

An ECV is a physical, chemical or biological variable or a group of linked variables that critically contributes to the characterization of Earth’s climate. ECV datasets provide the empirical evidence needed to understand and predict the evolution of climate, to guide mitigation and adaptation measures, to assess risks and enable attribution of climate events to underlying causes, and to underpin climate services. They are required to support the work of the UNFCCC and the IPCC. ECVs are identified based on the following criteria: Relevance: The variable is critical for characterizing the climate system and its changes. Feasibility: Observing or deriving the variable on a global scale is technically feasible using proven, scientifically understood methods. Cost effectiveness: Generating and archiving data on the variable is affordable, mainly relying on coordinated observing systems using proven technology, taking advantage where possible of historical datasets.

Industrial wastewater treatment covers the mechanisms and processes used to treat waters that have been contaminated in some way by anthropogenic industrial or commercial activities prior to its release into the environment or its re-use. Most industries produce some wet waste although recent trends in the developed world have been to minimize such production or recycle such waste within the production process. However, many industries remain dependent on processes that produce wastewaters.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and sequestration (CCS) is a set of technologies that can greatly reduce CO2 emissions from new and existing coal- and gas-fired power plants and large industrial sources. CCS is a three-step process that includes: Capture of CO2 from power plants or industrial processes transport of the captured and compressed CO2 (usually in pipelines). Underground injection and geologic sequestration(also referred to as storage) of the CO2 into deep underground rock formations. These formations are often a mile or more beneath the surface and consist of porous rock that holds the CO2. Overlying these formations are impermeable, non-porous layers of rock that trap the CO2 and prevent it from migrating upward.

Water security – a sustainable and adequate quantity and quality of water – is essential to human life, food and energy security, health and wellbeing, and economic prosperity. Yet nearly eighty percent of the world’s population live in areas where water security is thwarted by pressures such as climate change, conflict, ecosystem damage, extreme weather, gender inequalities, land degradation, over-abstraction, pollution, poor governance and uncontrolled urbanization. The Hub brings together an international team to address these threats and contribute towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). Tackling water security will require a more integrated approach to a wide range of activities including water supply, wastewater treatment, flood management, sanitation, catchment management, pollution, maintenance, funding and finance. To achieve this, the Hub will develop and demonstrate a transformative systems approach. This recognizes the complexity, interactions, and interdependencies between the people, institutions, natural environment and infrastructure involved in water security.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) in its supercritical fluid state (scCO2) is distinguished as the most commonly used SCF solvent for several reasons: it is readily available, it is a reusable gas, and it has a low critical temperature (Tc) of 31.1 °C and relatively low critical pressure (Pc) of 72.8 bar. Typical applications, operated by means of supercritical fluids (SCFs), are the extraction of hop constituents, decaffeination of tea and coffee, and the separation of lecithin from oil, all of which are high-pressure processes, which are performed on a large industrial scale.

melting temperature of a salt becomes low and the salt becomes ionic liquid when the constituent ions are replaced by big organic ions. Ionic liquids are also employed as auxiliaries and catalysts in chemical synthesis. They are used in analytical equipment. They make up electrolytes in lithium-ion batteries, super capacitors, and metal plating baths. They can be found as lubricants and coolants. The electrolyte Ionic liquid is defined as salt which is in the liquid state at ambient temperatures or below 100 °C. The solution consists of a liquid or solid phase containing at least one component, e.g., water, which is called the solvent, and an ionizable substance, e.g., a salt or an acid, which is called the electrolyte. Strong electrolytes fall into three categories: strong acids, strong bases, and salts. (Salts are sometimes also called ionic compounds, but really strong bases are ionic compounds as well.) The weak electrolytes include weak acids and weak bases.

Computer Modeling and Simulation refers to the process of constructing and manipulating computer-based mathematical, graphical or algorithmic representations of real life systems or phenomena, for the purpose of conducting computer-based simulations to study, predict or optimize the behaviour of the system(s). 2.1 Micro worlds. Most micro worlds allow both teachers and students to build models. 2.2 Mathematical systems simulation. System dynamic software. 2.3 Special simulation software. 2.4 3D Modeling. All sorts of 3D CAD programs (Solid works, Rhinoceros, Autodesk AutoCAD, 123D, Tinker Cad, etc.) Remote sensing is the process of detecting and monitoring the physical characteristics of an area by measuring its reflected and emitted radiation at a distance (typically from satellite or aircraft). ... Cameras on satellites can be used to make images of temperature changes in the oceans. There are two types of remote sensing technology, active and passive remote sensing. Active sensors emit energy in order to scan objects and areas whereupon a sensor then detects and measures the radiation that is reflected or backscattered from the target. A geographic information system (GIS) is a computer system for capturing, storing, checking, and displaying data related to positions on Earth's surface. GIS can show many different kinds of data on one map, such as streets, buildings, and vegetation. A working GIS integrates five key components: hardware, software, data, people, and methods.