Month: December 2022

Nuclear Energy: A Necessary Choice

finiwi5 /

While people may be averse to nuclear energy for a variety of reasons, much of the the general population simply fears nuclear energy. According to a recent report from Pew Research Center, “….the public is about as likely to say the government should encourage oil and gas drilling as it is to say the government should encourage nuclear power production.” Their fears largely stem from major nuclear disasters that have occurred around the world like Chernobyl, Three Mile Island or Fukushima. While tragic, these disasters should not discredit the many benefits of nuclear energy.

 

Contrary to popular belief, nuclear energy is a form of clean energy. Compared to wind and solar, nuclear facilities have a much smaller geographical footprint. To put it into perspective, the United States Department of Energy website states that it would take “…more than 3 million solar panels to produce the same amount of power as a typical commercial reactor or more than 430 wind turbines (capacity factor not included).”

 

Nuclear energy is also beneficial for the environment in that it does not produce any emissions whatsoever. Instead, nuclear power plants actually remove harmful components found in air: “Without nuclear power, NOx and SO2 levels in the U.S. would increase. By keeping existing nuclear power plants on line and building advanced nuclear facilities in the United States, we also protect the health of our communities.” (NEI)

Most importantly, nuclear energy is an extremely reliable energy source. Unlike other forms of clean energy, nuclear energy can produce vastly more electricity and remain operational 24/7. Nuclear energy also has the advantage of being capable of deployment nearly anywhere in the world. And while solar, wind, and hydroelectric power rely heavily on external environmental conditions, nuclear energy does not.

 

With recent innovations and investments in nuclear energy, the benefits and accessibility of nuclear energy continue to improve. One example is the increased interest in small modular reactors (SMRs). SMRs are designed to be far more compact and versatile than traditional nuclear power plants, which makes them even safer than full-scale reactors. Mainly, they produce less heat and waste. In addition, SMRs are extremely cost effective compared to full-scale nuclear power plants, and they can be tailored to meet the energy demands of anywhere from industrial facilities to small towns.

A GE Hitachi SMR design

Traditional forms of clean energy (wind, solar, and hydroelectricity) are not enough to achieve a future that does not rely on fossil fuels: the expansion and development of nuclear energy is necessary in the transition to total global clean energy production. Misconceptions and fossil fuel industry-backed propaganda continue to perpetuate doubt and fear about nuclear energy. In order to secure a better, more sustainable future, greater advocacy and education is needed to dispel these myths. Organizations such as the National Energy Institute (NEI) offer opportunities to help promote the growth and investment of nuclear energy.

 

Works Cited

  • “3 Reasons Why Nuclear Is Clean and Sustainable.” Energy.gov, 31 Mar. 2021, https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/3-reasons-why-nuclear-clean-and-sustainable.
  • “Advanced Small Modular Reactors (SMRs).” Department of Energy, https://www.energy.gov/ne/advanced-small-modular-reactors-smrs.
  • “Air Quality.” Nuclear Energy Institute, https://www.nei.org/advantages/air-quality.
  • Leppert, Rebecca. “Americans Continue to Express Mixed Views about Nuclear Power.” Pew Research Center, Pew Research Center, 23 Mar. 2022, https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/03/23/americans-continue-to-express-mixed-views-about-nuclear-power/.
  • “Safety of Nuclear Power Reactors.” Safety of Nuclear Reactors – World Nuclear Association, Mar. 2022, https://world-nuclear.org/information-library/safety-and-security/safety-of-plants/safety-of-nuclear-power-reactors.aspx.

 

Image Sources

  • https://nuclear.duke-energy.com/2013/07/24/oconee-nuclear-station-celebrates-40-years-of-operation
  • https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/advantages-and-challenges-nuclear-energy
  • https://www.wilmingtonbiz.com/more_news/2020/02/05/more_milestones_for_ge_hitachis_small_modular_reactor_design/19918

The Sustainability of Nike

Deen /

The Nike company has an immense presence in our lives. Just do it! It is the iconic Nike slogan, and you probably have heard it many times. The top athletes and movie stars wear that brand, and Nike makes Furman University apparel. There is a big chance you own a pair of Nike shoes. But the main question we need to ask is how sustainable is Nike as a business, and should we give it a passing grade?

So how much environmental damage does Nike’s business currently cause? We all know production, shipping, and management create carbon emissions, but how much carbon emissions Nike produces? Nike 2020 emitted 11,706,664 metric tons of CO2e. For reference, this is about the amount the capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, emitted. As for the growingly scarce resource, such as water, Nike uses 1 liter of water per 79.1 Kg of textiles.

Nevertheless, Nike has made plans to improve its sustainability record. Nike makes several clear science-based targets every five years. Currently, Nike is trying to accomplish the FY25 target. Meaning they aim to achieve their goals by the year 2025. In their plan for 2025, there are four categories of sustainability goals – Waste, Carbon, Water, and Chemistry objectives.

To improve waste, Nike promised to reduce it per unit of manufacturing by 10 percent with improvements in the design of their products, machinery, and transportation procedures. Goal two for waste was diverting 100 percent of waste and recycling it by 80 percent, and up to 10 times the amount of product waste donated to be recycled. One procedure Nike advocates is closed-loop recycling. Closed-loop recycling uses the remains of old products (post-consumer products) to produce new products.

As for carbon emissions, Nike promised to reduce them by 70 %. Like many other companies, Nike hopes to achieve this through renewable energy and fleet electrification. Fleet electrification is where electrical engines replace combustion engines of vehicles used by a company. A report from Nike’s Sao Paulo distribution center has already begun fleet electrification and powered it with Nike-owned solar farms.

With water becoming a growingly scarce resource, Nike promised to reduce freshwater usage in textile production by 25 % and restore 13B liters of water through portfolio projects. In 2021, Nike completed two projects with The Nature Conservatory to achieve this goal. In India, they converted 30 hectares of farmland into drip irrigation. The second project saw 84,000 hectares of biodiverse wetlands and floodplains in Murray Darling, Australia, registered as a conservation area.

Their final goal is to find and adopt ten clean chemical alternatives for their ten priority chemistries. So far, Nike has failed to adopt even one clean chemical substitute (according to a 2021 report).

Per the 2021 Nike report, they have made progress on every promise except finding clean chemical alternatives. They are on track to complete all their pledges except for water restoration and the collection of consumer-used products.

So, knowing all this, how sustainable is Nike? According to their self-reported data, they are doing well enough. They have a science-backed system with measurable targets and have made massive progress in their promises. Nike might not be the most sustainable company, but it is up to you if you want to “Just Do It” using Nike’s products.

Resources:

https://www.globaldata.com/data-insights/consumer/nike-greenhouse-gas-emissions-2095668/

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Amanda-Hansson-3/publication/333512603_Examining_the_Viability_of_Corporate_Recycling_Initiatives_and_Their_Overall_Environmental_Impact_The_Case_of_Nike_Grind_and_the_Reuse-A-Shoe_Program/links/5df97a834585159aa484ecd3/Examining-the-Viability-of-Corporate-Recycling-Initiatives-and-Their-Overall-Environmental-Impact-The-Case-of-Nike-Grind-and-the-Reuse-A-Shoe-Program.pdf

https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/resources/sustainable-development-goals-sdgs

https://www.renewableenergyworld.com/storage/nike-to-reduce-its-greenhouse-gas-emissions-5565/

https://purpose-cms-preprod01.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/17210319/FY21_NIKE-Impact-Report.pdf

https://www.globalfleet.com/en/technology-and-innovation/latin-america/article/nike-brazil-push-ev-through-dhl-glp-operated-facility?a=DBL10&t%5B0%5D=FLeet%20LaTAm&t%5B1%5D=DHL&t%5B2%5D=EVs&curl=1

https://us.thesportsedit.com/blogs/news/how-sustainable-is-nike

Climate Pledge Arena

Bendor /

The Climate pledge arena was opened in Seattle, Washington in 2021 with the goal of setting examples for how large scale buildings can be designed with sustainability in mind. Sponsored by Amazon, they openly acknowledge that climate change is here and it needs to be addressed. In their opening event featuring Coldplay, the floors were equipped so that the kinetic energy from people dancing would generate energy, and had stationary bicycles around the concourse so that guests could generate energy. While energy generated from stationary bikes doesn’t make much of an impact, it does make it so that the guests become more and more conscious of what is required for the stadium to run. According to Tim Meadows, one of the most effective areas to change a system is through information flows. This mindset also plays into the name, which isn’t named after the sponsor in a surprisingly chill move from Amazon. Climate Pledge arena forces each attendee to focus on the issue of a changing climate, and think about the solutions that the arena is demonstrating to show that living sustainability is necessary to a successful future. There are a multitude of features and policies in the Climate pledge, and I believe that some of these can be implemented into the Greenbelt.. Rainwater collection tanks in the arena are able to provide all the water needed for the hockey rink that the Seattle Kraken play on, which is impressive as the average hockey rink takes around 15000 gallons of water to fill. On top of this, there is excess water that can be used as gray water throughout the arena. The greenbelt could implement a similar system as, uniquely, South Carolina allows residential buildings to collect rainwater. This system would both promote sustainability and save Furman money. Another feature of the arena are the 12,500 trees that surround the arena. This reminded me of planting trees on Furman’s campus with the greenbelt residents (including the majestic Dragon Blast), reinstating Furman’s designation as a tree campus. Renewable energy from hydroelectric, geothermal, and solar power the arena. A pledge that they have made is to phase out single use plastic by 2024. I believe that promises like this are important, as it acknowledges the difficulty of the task, but still proves that the organization is committed to stepping up and doing the right thing. This is a core of Sustainability and addressing a changing climate. Changing a system and a culture is incredibly difficult, but work worth doing is never easy. 

Similar to the climate pledge arena,  the greenbelt is a beacon of sustainable living. The solar panels, the skylights that make it so that less energy has to be used to light the buildings, and the low flow showers. With this in mind, innovation is ever one and done. It is crucial to learn about new technologies that can help us set an even better example and inspire others to live how we live. We can look to other sustainable buildings like the Climate pledge arena to guide us in the future. 

Home - Climate Pledge Arena

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/marshallshepherd/2022/06/08/is-climate-pledge-arena-a-sustainability-model-for-venues-going-forward/?sh=28b1be0f7f79

Sustainability in Developing Nations

Austin /

           In 2019, the United Nations established an agenda for all countries to achieve 17 sustainable development goals, or SDGs, by 2030. They made this as a part of a program to promote economic, social, and environmental development across the world. These goals range from ending poverty to climate action to making clean energy affordable to gender equality. Although they do not give countries a concise “how,” they allow every nation to establish objectives that can guide them forward in a sustainable way. While each of these goals is important, some have criticized the United Nations for not laying out a clearer framework for which goals should be accomplished first.

           The difficulty lies in the pressure these goals place on developing nations to switch to more sustainable laws. When a country lacks the infrastructure and economic stability to support sustainable practices, it cannot achieve the previously mentioned SDGs. In a sense, these developmental goals act as a limitation on nations that are desperately trying to expand economically. For example, if a country does not have reliable energy, it is challenging to implement clean energy laws effectively. Despite this, sustainable development goals are a worthy pursuit. In the wake of unprecedented damage from humans to the planet, we need every country to work towards a future that accounts for environmental impact.

         More developed nations, like the United States, need to take responsibility to move towards environmentally based SDGs because they have the economic stability to do so. Developing nations need to focus on policies that improve living conditions and education. The only way for nations to prioritize things like clean energy programs is for them to have the reliable infrastructure to make the transition. If not, poverty will increase, and sustainability efforts will fail. The chart below commonly referred to as “The Doughnut” helps one visualize the balance that must be struck between social factors and environmental factors as driving forces for action. In an ideal world, a nation could achieve all 17 SDGs and make advances in the ecological ceiling while maintaining a strong social foundation. The social foundation is not present across all countries, especially in developing nations. Regardless, it is necessary before countries can effectively tackle issues like climate change.

 

       The goals proposed by the United Nations help to shed light on issues of poverty, education, and urbanization in developing nations. It also helps remind people living in developed nations that even the ability to embrace sustainable programs is an economic privilege and not one to be taken for granted.

 

Citations

Sachs, J. D., Schmidt-Traub, G., Mazzucato, M., Messner, D., Nakicenovic, N., & Rockström, J. (2019). Six transformations to achieve the sustainable development goals. Nature sustainability, 2(9), 805-814.

SDG, U. (2019). Sustainable development goals. The energy progress report. Tracking SDG, 7.

Hák, T., Janoušková, S., & Moldan, B. (2016). Sustainable Development Goals: A need for relevant indicators. Ecological indicators, 60, 565-573.

Cobbinah, P. B., Erdiaw-Kwasie, M. O., & Amoateng, P. (2014). Rethinking sustainable development within the framework of poverty and urbanisation in developing countries. Environmental Development, 13, 18–32. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envdev.2014.11.001 

El Rifai, Ayman Ramon. (2021) Sustainable Development in Developing Countries. Circle of Sustainable Europe. https://cose-eu.org/2021/10/11/sustainable-development-in-developing-countries/.