Water - Energy - Carbon Systems

Philemon Chigeza

Description

This book proposes an imaginative, timely and new approach that advances affordable, reliable and sustainable management strategies on water, energy and carbon systems for local communities. The book targets non-academic and academic readers and has the potential to help individuals and organizations to develop sustainable management plans. The book addresses all of humanity, especially young people developing their vocations and future careers to transition to the circular economy. The book is also of special interest to educators, environmental groups, policymakers, and environmentalists.

Sujets

• Sciences et techniques
• Environmental science

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 31 janvier 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781645360155
• Langue: English

Extrait

WATER–ENERGY–CARBON SYSTEMS
Transitioning from Linear to Circular Economy
Philemon Chigeza
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-01-31
WATER–ENERGY–CARBON SYSTEMS About the Author Copyright Information Acknowledgments Preface Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter Descriptions References Chapter 2: Toward a Circular Economy Introduction Transitioning from Linear to Circular Economy Thinking Systems Thinking: Holistic vs. Reductionism Integrating Circular Economy and Systems Theory Reflections and Emerging Views References Chapter 3: Circular Water Management Strategies Introduction Water Is a Universal Solvent Water Stores and Cycles Human Activities and Water Quality Discharging the Greywater and Wastewater Residence Time of the Waste Materials Recycling of Water Embedding Circular Economy Perspectives in Water Systems Reflections and Emerging Views References Chapter 4: Renewable Energy and Efficiencies Introduction An Understanding of the Concept of Energy Electrical Energy Generation Renewable Sources of Energy Recycling Energy Embedding Circular Economy Perspectives in Energy Systems Reflections and Emerging Views References Chapter 5: Carbon Neutral Environments Introduction The Carbon Cycle Factors Affecting Carbon Stores and Flux Carbon Recycling Strategies Carbon Capture and Storage Embedding Circular Economy Perspectives in Carbon Systems Reflections and Emerging Views References Chapter 6: Water, Energy, and Carbon Interactions Introduction Water, Energy, and Carbon Interactions Focusing on Community Projects The Need for a Monitoring Framework The Sustainable Circularity Indicators Monitoring Tool – Water Monitoring Tool – Energy Monitoring Tool – Carbon Project Monitoring Matrix Community Project Monitoring Matrix Reflections and Emerging Views References Chapter 7: Conclusion Setting the Manifesto Setting the Programs and Projects References
About the Author
Philemon Chigeza is a senior lecturer of Mathematics and Science Education at James Cook University in North Queensland. Philemon is passionate about issues of environmental sustainability and how the home, schools, and electronic media can be productively used to work toward a more sustainable and just society.
Copyright Information
Copyright © Philemon Chigeza (2019)
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.
Any person who commits any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
Ordering Information:
Quantity sales: special discounts are available on quantity purchases by corporations, associations, and others. For details, contact the publisher at the address below.
Publishers cataloging in publishing data
Chigeza, Philemon
Water – Energy – Carbon Systems: Transitioning from Linear to Circular Economy
ISBN 9781641825245 (Paperback)
ISBN 9781641825252 (Hardback)
ISBN 9781645360155 (E-Book)
The main category of the book: SCIENCE / Environmental Science (see also Chemistry / Environmental)
www.austinmacauley.com/us
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers LLC
40 Wall Street, 28th Floor
New York, NY 10005
USA
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Acknowledgments
Firstly, I want to thank members of my family for their support in writing this book. They provided encouragement and the space that I needed to get the book done. Secondly, I want to thank my colleagues and former students over the last two decades for debating and discussing some of the ideas that I discuss in this book.
Preface
On 25th September, 2015, the United Nations sponsored a common set of sustainable development goals for all countries to end poverty, to protect the planet, and to ensure prosperity for all over the next 15 years. Underpinning the United Nations sustainable development goals for protecting the planet are the interactions and relationships of water, energy and carbon systems. The object of this book is to advance affordable, reliable, and sustainable management strategies on water, energy, and carbon systems for local communities.
This book encourages all of mankind to transition from the traditional linear economy thinking and practice that is wasteful on resources, to the circular economy thinking and practice that is restorative on resources. The book argues for the need to integrate circular economy and systems theory perspectives in the interactions and relationships of the water, energy, and carbon systems to enhance the United Nations sustainable development goals for local communities. The book suggests that an integrated circular economy and systems theory approach can be a useful thinking framework on sustainable management of water, energy, and carbon systems.
The book observes that an appreciation of the different stores or sources of water, energy and carbon, the rates of flow of water, energy, and carbon between the stores, and the processes that drive the flow rates is fundamental in order to embed circular economy and systems thinking in local projects, and enhance the United Nations sustainable development goals. The book highlights that human activities can impact negatively or positively on these stores, flow rates, and processes. Thus, a systems thinking approach to understanding these interactions and relationships underpins the means of addressing some of the most challenging local, national and international environmental, social, and economic issues of our times. The subsequent chapters build on this premise.
Chapter 1: Introduction
I wish to address all of mankind in a direct way regarding the sustainable development of their local communities, their progression, and growth towards an integrated, circular economy, systems thinking and practice. The book can be of interest to educators, policy makers, and environmentalists. The book is likely to be the beginning or catalyst for some people’s journey and self-awareness towards this 21 st century integrated circular economy, systems thinking and practice.
I want all readers of this book to be aware that the ideas presented in the book are illustrative rather than exhaustive. After all, we live in different geographic, environmental, social, and economic locations. The key is to find affordable, reliable, and sustainable water, energy, and carbon management strategies for local communities. The book aims to initiate and solidify the start of a spiral progression towards an integrated circular economy and system theory approach, to sustainable development.
The book encourages all of humanity to transition from the traditional linear economy thinking and practice that is wasteful on resources, towards a circular economy thinking and practice that is restorative on resources and can be technology enhanced. The book persuades all of mankind to develop novel and innovative ideas and methods that draw on circular economy and system theory approaches to address their local community issues around the water, energy, carbon interactions and relationships. These issues around water, energy, carbon interactions, and relationships are central to supporting their lives, their economic wellbeing as individuals or as members of their communities, and their sustainable futures.
It is time for all of mankind—young and old—to sit at the table and contribute novel and innovative ideas and solutions to these issues and practices which are a result of the traditional linear economy. This book encourages every person to realize that they are part of the voice in their household and community, and that their actions are a part of the actions of their household and community.
Think locally. Act locally. Impact globally.
The book is not a propaganda platform. Nor is it an activist agenda. The book encourages all of humanity to develop strategies that result in novel and innovative ideas and solutions to 21 st century issues and practices around the water, energy and carbon systems. The book draws from a systems thinking perspective, to problem solving that attempts to balance holistic-thinking and reductionism. The book also highlights the need to develop multi-disciplinary and multi-dimensional approaches and solutions to enhance the sustainable environmental, social, and economic development agendas around water, energy, and carbon systems.
The book is as relevant to an artist contemplating the paint they want to use on the canvass, as it is to a landscaper designing a garden. The book is also relevant to an environmental scientist addressing a local environmental issue, as well as an engineer brainstorming a solution to a local issue or problem. The book encourages a system theory approach on sustainable environmental, social, and economic development based on circular economy perspectives.
According to Mazzocchi (2011), complex systems exist at different levels, ranging from molecules, cells, organisms, ecosystems, and human societies. This means that a new approach is required to study these different systems. A system theory approach encourages analysis of the interactions and relationships between components of the systems (Von Bertalaffy, 1968). This book positions all of humanity as agents of change who can analyze the components of the different systems in their local environments, and take a proactive role embedding circular economy, systems thinking and practice on the sustainable management of water, energy and carbon systems.
The book argues that interactions and relationships of water, energy, and carbon in local environments can be conceptualized within an integrated circular economy and syst