Vibration Isolation System Design - Dynamics of Mechanical Systems? | ENVS 101 | Papers Environmental Science

Ashley Allen ENVS 101 Spring ‘05

How does my family’s patronage of garage sales and thrift shops contribute to energetic and

material sustainability? [Good question!]

As a child growing up near downtown Fort Collins, my mother and I devoted almost every

sunny Saturday morning to seeking out garage sales. I have fond memories of the two of us riding our

bikes from yard to yard looking for things we either needed or wished to have. At the time I thought

this was just a fun and inexpensive way to shop for things, but looking back on it I realize there were

several more important environmentally related reasons to patronize yard sales. Shopping at garage

sales and thrift shops (which I also do a lot of) contributes to energetic and material sustainability.

More specifically, purchasing used products significantly reduces the amount of waste put into the

environment, helps utilized the full life cycle potential of products, and strengthens local economies

and communities. [Excellent statement of your thesis]

Humans have been on this earth for thousands of years, yet the current levels of human

consumption, waste, and resource use are higher than ever. Rising population levels are also a concern

considering we are not changing our wasteful behavior. The United State’s population has more than

doubled in the last six decades, going from 120 million in 1930 to 250 million in 1990.1 This is

alarming, considering this country has one of the slowest average growth rates [this would be an

important place to mention the IPAC equation: environmental impact = population * affluence * per

capita consumption. Although the US has a relatively slow population growth, the A and C

components are growing much faster leading to a disproportionately high impact]. If we don’t begin to

live with a more minimal impact on the earth, we’ll see an increase in the number and severity of

negative environmental consequences. Creating a more sustainable world, one which will meet the

needs of current generations while still preserving the ability of future generations to meet their own

needs, is key for the continuation of life on this planet. Sustainability in regards to the patronization of

secondhand ventures is specifically oriented towards reducing waste so that future inhabitants of this

earth can live comfortable and healthy lives on a planet that’s not completely dominated by landfill

sites. [good]

An integral aspect of achieving sustainability is material cycling. People commonly talk about

consuming or using up material resources, but it is impossible for us to actually consume matter. This

concept, known as the conservation of matter, means there is no “away” in “to throw away.”2 We take

resources from the earth, transport them to another part of the world, process them into products that

are used and then either discarded, burned, buried, reused, or recycled. Although we ultimately cannot

completely rid the world of our trash [why not?], we can increase our efficiency and control the

amount of waste we add to the environment.

Thrift stores and garage sales encourage people to practice reuse via donations, shopping, and

selling. There is no need to throw away used items that are in good or repairable condition just because

you have no further use for them. Recycling is great, but reducing the amount of goods we have in the

first place is even better.3 Buying used goods can significantly reduce the quantity of waste we send to

the landfill. Obtaining second and third-hand products diminishes the enormous amount of useless

packaging that is deposited in our landfills. For instance, last summer I bought a large picture frame at

a neighbor’s rummage sale. My newly purchased picture frame was surrounded by zero packaging.

1 P.R. Erhlich and A.H. Erhlich. 1996. “Why isn’t everyone as scare as we are?” Valuing the earth: Economics, ecology,

and ethics. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA

2 G.T. Miller. 1999. Science, matter, energy, and ecology: connections to nature.

3 California Integrated Waste Management Board. 2005.

http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPW/Coordinator/Articles/WPatHome.htm.

Partial preview of the text

Download Vibration Isolation System Design - Dynamics of Mechanical Systems? | ENVS 101 and more Papers Environmental Science in PDF only on Docsity!

Ashley Allen ENVS 101 Spring ‘ How does my family’s patronage of garage sales and thrift shops contribute to energetic and material sustainability? [Good question!] As a child growing up near downtown Fort Collins, my mother and I devoted almost every sunny Saturday morning to seeking out garage sales. I have fond memories of the two of us riding our bikes from yard to yard looking for things we either needed or wished to have. At the time I thought this was just a fun and inexpensive way to shop for things, but looking back on it I realize there were several more important environmentally related reasons to patronize yard sales. Shopping at garage sales and thrift shops (which I also do a lot of) contributes to energetic and material sustainability. More specifically, purchasing used products significantly reduces the amount of waste put into the environment, helps utilized the full life cycle potential of products, and strengthens local economies and communities. [Excellent statement of your thesis] Humans have been on this earth for thousands of years, yet the current levels of human consumption, waste, and resource use are higher than ever. Rising population levels are also a concern considering we are not changing our wasteful behavior. The United State’s population has more than doubled in the last six decades, going from 120 million in 1930 to 250 million in 1990.^1 This is alarming, considering this country has one of the slowest average growth rates [this would be an important place to mention the IPAC equation: environmental impact = population * affluence * per capita consumption. Although the US has a relatively slow population growth, the A and C components are growing much faster leading to a disproportionately high impact]. If we don’t begin to live with a more minimal impact on the earth, we’ll see an increase in the number and severity of negative environmental consequences. Creating a more sustainable world, one which will meet the needs of current generations while still preserving the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, is key for the continuation of life on this planet. Sustainability in regards to the patronization of secondhand ventures is specifically oriented towards reducing waste so that future inhabitants of this earth can live comfortable and healthy lives on a planet that’s not completely dominated by landfill sites. [good] An integral aspect of achieving sustainability is material cycling. People commonly talk about consuming or using up material resources, but it is impossible for us to actually consume matter. This concept, known as the conservation of matter, means there is no “away” in “to throw away.”^2 We take resources from the earth, transport them to another part of the world, process them into products that are used and then either discarded, burned, buried, reused, or recycled. Although we ultimately cannot completely rid the world of our trash [why not?], we can increase our efficiency and control the amount of waste we add to the environment. Thrift stores and garage sales encourage people to practice reuse via donations, shopping, and selling. There is no need to throw away used items that are in good or repairable condition just because you have no further use for them. Recycling is great, but reducing the amount of goods we have in the first place is even better.^3 Buying used goods can significantly reduce the quantity of waste we send to the landfill. Obtaining second and third-hand products diminishes the enormous amount of useless packaging that is deposited in our landfills. For instance, last summer I bought a large picture frame at a neighbor’s rummage sale. My newly purchased picture frame was surrounded by zero packaging. (^1) P.R. Erhlich and A.H. Erhlich. 1996. “Why isn’t everyone as scare as we are?” Valuing the earth: Economics, ecology, and ethics. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA (^2) G.T. Miller. 1999. Science, matter, energy, and ecology: connections to nature. (^3) California Integrated Waste Management Board. 2005. http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPW/Coordinator/Articles/WPatHome.htm.

By acquiring this frame from my neighbor instead of a commercial source, I did not have to discard the original box, bubble wrap, tape, and excess paper that came along with frame. To some this may seem insignificant, but a person is also reducing the amount of energy and resources needed to make the packaging. In addition, every item reused is one less pound, give or take, added to the landfill; the more natural resources saved - whether wood (for furniture or paper) or cotton (for clothes) or oil (for plastics) - the less energy and water used, and the less pollution created in the production process.^4 Many new landfills are being created because there is currently an overflow of waste materials in the older sights. Garage sales are a feasible and successful way to reduce the waste that enters these trash sites. It is a great feeling to know that a person that patronizes a yard sale is not only saving an unwanted item from the dump, but also reducing the amount of packaging that would additionally end up there. Another necessary component of working towards a sustainable world is mimicking the cyclic patterns found in nature. All things found in the natural environment are part of a closed and efficient material cycle. For instance, the leaves that fall to the ground in autumn decompose and become humus, adding organic matter to the soil and providing nutrients to the same tree that dropped the leaves [perhaps a good place to draw on Aldo Leopold’s “Odyssey” essay]. It is known that most human-generated materials can eventually be reused and recycled, yet why do we still put our reusable and recyclable products into the trash? Garage sales cannot possibly create a completely closed material cycle, but they do allow us to generate a highly efficient and mostly closed system. For example, I have the option of buying a new bike from Target that lasts me three months before the gears stop working. I could throw it out because it is no longer of any use to me. This bike of mine lasted three months and ended up in the landfill in relatively good condition, except for the minor issue of broken gears [why didn’t you have it fixed? This is not clear]. If I wanted to involve my bike in a more effective and productive cycle I could buy the same bike third-hand from a garage sale. Let’s just imagine that I am the third owner of this two-year old bike that still rides quite well. I end up using it for seven years and then passing it on to my dad who uses the parts to repair other bikes that can now be sold at our garage sale for others to by and use. The second scenario shows how we can easily extenuate the full life cycle of an object by buying used from local sources. It needs to be our goal to approach the state of natural systems and cycles, in which there is no true waste. A large part of creating a more sustainable world is establishing a dependable and self- sufficient local community. Creating vibrant and united local communities will ultimately transcend to good things on a larger scale, such as assisting states, countries, and ultimately the world in achieving greater sustainability. Garage sales are a great way to bring people together and foster healthy neighborhood relations [excellent point]. They provide opportunities for neighbors to get out and meet each other, as well share information and ideas relating to how their quality of life could be improved. My mom and I have met neighbors at garage sales that we wouldn’t ordinarily have had the opportunity to meet before. My mom has used these occasions to network with others about business and has also found new supplies of leaf wastes that we are able to add to our compost pile. Garage sales encourage buying local and keeping the products and the profits community. These events facilitate positive community interactions which will likely lead to pride in one’s home area and ideally a desire to become more sustainable. [excellent point] A major shift in human mentality and change in America’s current values system is necessary to achieve a more sustainable world. I personally feel one of the greatest values my mom installed in me was thriftiness. Being sensible and somewhat frugal with my money and purchases is something I deeply care about. Wendell Barry provided a holistic definition of this value when he wrote, “A thrifty person is undoubtedly a productive one, but thriftiness also implies a proper consideration for the (^4) California Integrated Waste Management Board. 2005. http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPW/Coordinator/Articles/WPatHome.htm.

well. (Note that neglecting to cite ideas or text that come from other sources is a violation of academic ethics and of the Oberlin honor code). yes  Considers aspects of both scientific and human dimensions of sustainability. yes  Writing is of high quality: logic is well organized; each paragraph contains a clear topic sentences; assertions and opinions are supported with evidence, conclusion draws together ideas and follows from essay; grammar is used correctly, references are appropriately cited, spelling and typographical errors are minimal. yes  Writing conforms to standards outlined in “ENVS101 Writing guidelines” (also linked on home page of website). Ashley: This is generally a well-organized, well-written and thought provoking essay. A few additional issues come to mind. One has to do with consumerism. We live in a culture that loves to consume, and my guess is that yard sale visitors are no different in this desire. Indeed, since you don’t know what you will find at a yard sale, in some ways the visits are even more driven by love of shopping. But as you correctly imply, there is little environmental downside to shopping at a yard sale. So perhaps this is an environmental answer for the shopaholic. A second issue has to do with the quality of goods. Since many current consumer goods are designed with “planned obsolescence” and intentional disposability, they become of little value at yard sales. For instance, many consumer electronics, including computers are essentially disposables, and don’t lend themselves to cycling. Furthermore, my guess is that if you had purchased on older bicycle at a yard sale it probably would have been of much higher quality than the bicycle purchased at target, and its gears would not have broken. How do you stimulate the production of goods that are designed to be reused and resold? Nice work!

Vibration Isolation System Design - Dynamics of Mechanical Systems? | ENVS 101, Papers of Environmental Science

Related documents

Partial preview of the text

Download Vibration Isolation System Design - Dynamics of Mechanical Systems? | ENVS 101 and more Papers Environmental Science in PDF only on Docsity!