Part 1: Choose 2 Products Or Items That You Might Find In A

Part 1choose 2 Products Or Items That You Might Find In A Home Or Offi

Part 1: Choose two products or items that you might find in a home or office. One product should be a simple mechanical and/or electrical device, and the other should be a non-mechanical or non-electrical item. Research each product’s or item’s entire lifecycle—from raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, usage, to disposal. For each, answer whether it is necessary for human survival, identify raw materials and energy sources used, specify if these are renewable or limited resources, examine possibilities for recycling or reducing material use, and explore alternative products. Describe the transportation process from raw materials to end-use, including energy consumption, and consider disposal methods, decomposition timelines, and environmental impacts during production, use, and disposal. Assess whether production is likely to increase with population growth and predict impacts on individual ecological footprints.

Part 2: Write an essay explaining the environmental relationships

In a comprehensive essay of at least two pages, include answers to all eleven questions posed in Part 1 regarding the two products/items. In addition, analyze the interconnections among the following topics: Human Population Growth, Affluent Consumption, and Ecological Footprint. Provide your ideas on how these topics relate, referencing scholarly articles or credible sources with APA citations. The essay should be written in your own words, demonstrating understanding of the material covered in class and connecting it to real-world environmental issues.

References

  • Redman, C. L. (2019). Environmental Science: A Case Approach. Routledge.
  • Carroll, C., & Buchholtz, A. (2014). Business and Society: Ethics, Sustainability, and Stakeholder Management. Cengage Learning.
  • Meadows, D. H., Meadows, D. L., Randers, J., & Behrens III, W. W. (1972). The Limits to Growth. Universe Books.
  • Tilman, D., & Clark, M. (2014). Global diets link environmental sustainability and human health. Nature, 515(7528), 518-522.
  • Kates, R. W., & Parris, T. M. (2003). Long-term trends and a sustainability transition. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 6(1), 40-45.
  • Sneddon, C., & Howes, M. (2018). Sustainable Development and the Environment. Emerald Publishing.
  • World Resources Institute. (2022). The Global Environment Outlook. Retrieved from https://www.wri.org
  • Schandl, H., et al. (2019). Material flow accounting in support of sustainable resource use. UNEP.
  • Steffen, W., et al. (2015). Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet. Science, 347(6223), 1259855.
  • Rockström, J., et al. (2009). A safe operating space for humanity. Nature, 461(7263), 472-475.

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