Wasteful WorldWasteful World

Recycling in GermanyRecycling in Germany

Renewable and Non-Renewable Renewable and Non-Renewable EnergyEnergy

How is waste recycled?How is waste recycled? Glass is sorted into colours, washed, crushed, melted Glass is sorted into colours, washed, crushed, melted

and reformed into new products.and reformed into new products. Cans are split into steel and aluminium, melted down Cans are split into steel and aluminium, melted down

and turned into new products.and turned into new products. Paper is sorted into bails and sent to the paper mill to Paper is sorted into bails and sent to the paper mill to

be turned into new products.be turned into new products. Plastics are sorted into their types, shredded and then Plastics are sorted into their types, shredded and then

reprocessed.reprocessed. Waste that cannot be recycled is sent to landfill or Waste that cannot be recycled is sent to landfill or

incinerated. incinerated.

CASE STUDY - GermanyCASE STUDY - Germany Landfill Landfill – has 160 landfill sites, waste is processed before landfill to – has 160 landfill sites, waste is processed before landfill to

reduce its impact.reduce its impact. IncinerationIncineration – has 68 incinerators, plans to build more, some are – has 68 incinerators, plans to build more, some are

mini power plants producing electricity.mini power plants producing electricity. RecyclingRecycling – strict laws on recycling, companies can display the – strict laws on recycling, companies can display the

Green Dot emblem to show the packaging is recyclable, exports Green Dot emblem to show the packaging is recyclable, exports waste be recycled, recycles 60% of its waste.waste be recycled, recycles 60% of its waste.

Nuclear wasteNuclear waste – Germany does not have a deep mine or – Germany does not have a deep mine or reprocessing plant, has to sent waste to UK or France for reprocessing plant, has to sent waste to UK or France for reprocessing – expensive, sends waste to Siberia to be buried in reprocessing – expensive, sends waste to Siberia to be buried in deep mines, they are planning to build a reprocessing plant and deep mines, they are planning to build a reprocessing plant and convert a deep mine in the future. convert a deep mine in the future.

Toxic wasteToxic waste – they export much of this as it is expensive to deal with – they export much of this as it is expensive to deal with in Germany, 6000 litres of toxic waste was sent to Albania disguised in Germany, 6000 litres of toxic waste was sent to Albania disguised as humanitarian aid where it leaked into a lake killing all aquatic life.as humanitarian aid where it leaked into a lake killing all aquatic life.

Non-renewable energy Non-renewable energy sources – they will run sources – they will run out!!!out!!!

CoalCoal + Supplies should last for another 250 + Supplies should last for another 250 years, easy to convert into energy, cheap years, easy to convert into energy, cheap to mine.to mine.

- Bulky to transport, releases greenhouse Bulky to transport, releases greenhouse gases, will not last forever.gases, will not last forever.

Oil Oil + Easy to convert into energy, cheap to + Easy to convert into energy, cheap to extract, supplies should last for another 50 extract, supplies should last for another 50 years.years.

- Very expensive to buy, releases Very expensive to buy, releases greenhouse gases, will not last forever.greenhouse gases, will not last forever.

Non-renewable energy Non-renewable energy sourcessources

GasGas + Cleaner fuel than oil or coal, + Cleaner fuel than oil or coal, supplies should last for another 70 supplies should last for another 70 years, easy to convert into energy.years, easy to convert into energy.

- Will not last forever, gives off Will not last forever, gives off greenhouse gases. greenhouse gases.

NuclearNuclear + Does not give off greenhouse + Does not give off greenhouse gases, raw materials will last along gases, raw materials will last along time, a small amount gives off a lot of time, a small amount gives off a lot of energy.energy.

- Reactors are expensive to build and run, - Reactors are expensive to build and run, waste is highly radioactive, waste has waste is highly radioactive, waste has to be stored for many years, risk of to be stored for many years, risk of nuclear accidents. nuclear accidents.

Renewable energy Renewable energy sources – never run out!!sources – never run out!! SolarSolar + No fuel costs, does not give + No fuel costs, does not give

off greenhouse gases, can be fitted off greenhouse gases, can be fitted on rooves, on rooves,

- Not efficient in countries with little Not efficient in countries with little sunshine, can be expensive to buy sunshine, can be expensive to buy and install, don’t produce that much and install, don’t produce that much energy. energy.

WindWind + New wind turbines are quiet + New wind turbines are quiet and efficient, doesn’t give off and efficient, doesn’t give off greenhouse gases, can be build on greenhouse gases, can be build on land or at sea.land or at sea.

- Need consistent high wind speeds, Need consistent high wind speeds, regular servicing needed, visually regular servicing needed, visually intrusive, can kill birds/disturb intrusive, can kill birds/disturb migration patterns.migration patterns.

Geothermal Geothermal + No greenhouse + No greenhouse gases, cheap once built, gases, cheap once built, provides a lot of energy.provides a lot of energy.

- Power stations are expensive Power stations are expensive to build, need to be in specific to build, need to be in specific areas – where there is areas – where there is geothermal activity e.g. Iceland. geothermal activity e.g. Iceland.

HydroelectricHydroelectric + No greenhouse + No greenhouse gases, cheap once built, can gases, cheap once built, can produce large lakes for leisure produce large lakes for leisure purposes.purposes.

- Alter water flow in rivers, only Alter water flow in rivers, only built in certain areas, people built in certain areas, people have to move. have to move.

TidalTidal + No greenhouse gases, + No greenhouse gases, cheap once built, tidal barrages cheap once built, tidal barrages can also be used as bridges.can also be used as bridges.

- Can be a problem for shipping, Can be a problem for shipping, expensive to build, can damage expensive to build, can damage wildlife, can only be built in wildlife, can only be built in suitable areas. suitable areas.

Energy surplus and deficitEnergy surplus and deficit Energy surplus is when the country Energy surplus is when the country

produces too much energy to fulfil its produces too much energy to fulfil its needs. Examples include – Canada, needs. Examples include – Canada, Russia, China, Australia, Saudi Arabia.Russia, China, Australia, Saudi Arabia.

Energy deficit is when countries don’t Energy deficit is when countries don’t produce enough energy to meet their produce enough energy to meet their needs. Examples include USA, Brazil, needs. Examples include USA, Brazil, India, Germany, France, Spain, India, Germany, France, Spain, Bangladesh, Iceland, Italy. Bangladesh, Iceland, Italy.

Carbon footprintsCarbon footprints The carbon footprint of a place, country, The carbon footprint of a place, country,

business or individual depends on the business or individual depends on the amount of greenhouse gases they amount of greenhouse gases they produce. produce.

LICs tend to have smaller carbon LICs tend to have smaller carbon footprints than HICs. footprints than HICs.

Management of energy Management of energy waste on a domestic scalewaste on a domestic scale Turning lights off when not in use.Turning lights off when not in use. Unplug chargers after use.Unplug chargers after use. Turn the heating down in summer.Turn the heating down in summer. Keep doors and windows closed.Keep doors and windows closed. Replace inefficient electrical products.Replace inefficient electrical products. Loft insulationLoft insulation Cavity wall insulationCavity wall insulation Ground source heating pumpGround source heating pump Double or triple glazing.Double or triple glazing. Solar panels/solar water heating panels.Solar panels/solar water heating panels. Wind turbinesWind turbines Recycling binsRecycling bins

Management of energy Management of energy waste on a local scalewaste on a local scale

British Gas is working with local councils to British Gas is working with local councils to improve efficiency. If houses implement changes to improve efficiency. If houses implement changes to save energy they get money off their council tax save energy they get money off their council tax bill. bill.

Aberdeen Council have installed a communal Aberdeen Council have installed a communal boiler in a block of flats. This is much more boiler in a block of flats. This is much more efficient. efficient.

Wind turbines can be built at schools and Wind turbines can be built at schools and businesses to power them. Any excess energy can businesses to power them. Any excess energy can be sold to the National Grid.be sold to the National Grid.

Management of energy Management of energy waste on a national scalewaste on a national scale

A grant of £2500 per household is available to A grant of £2500 per household is available to install things like wind turbines and solar install things like wind turbines and solar panels.panels.

No planning permission is needed for solar No planning permission is needed for solar panels and wind turbines.panels and wind turbines.

Up to £1 million available for public buildings to Up to £1 million available for public buildings to install green technologies.install green technologies.

UK e-day – when people are asked to think UK e-day – when people are asked to think about their energy usage and to turn things off. about their energy usage and to turn things off.