What is Ozone Depletion? August 11, 2016 Ozone Depletion is the steady thinning of the Earth’s ozone layer in the stratosphere. The ozone layer is necessary for shielding the Earth from the extra ultraviolet B radiation. While ozone depletion occurs on a seasonal basis, the release of Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) has caused the ozone layer to deplete in larger amounts, allowing ultraviolet B to enter the Earth, which has been linked to higher rates of skin cancer, cataracts, plant damage, and reduction of plankton in bodies…

What is the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA)? August 11, 2016 The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) was legislation introduced by the United States Congress that aimed to prevent oil spills, ensure clean up, restore environments damaged by spills and strengthened the Environmental Protection Agency’s powers to prevent and respond to spills. In this law, oil storage facilities and vessels must submit to the US government their plans to responding to large spills should they happen. At the same time, the OPA also…

What are Non-Renewable Resources? August 11, 2016 Definition Non-renewable Resources are resources that will deplete over a lifetime. They are consumed at a rate faster than they can naturally reproduce; many of these resources take millions of years to replenish. Examples of non-renewable resources are coal, oil, and materials used for nuclear energy. Want to Know More? The use of nonrenewable resources, like fossil fuels as an energy source dates to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. During this period, numerous developments occurred including the…

What is New Urbanism? August 11, 2016 New Urbanism is a form of city planning that looks at moving away from traditional, single-use, low-density building patterns. It emphasizes the use of traditional European towns, which are often more compact and utilize their location. These more compact communities would allow for a smaller carbon footprint through designing areas to be more accessible by walking rather than by car. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, American cities were more compact, and buildings were usually designed for…

What is the National Green Building Standard? August 11, 2016 The National Green Building Standard is a voluntary program designed to assess the design, construction, and renovation of residential buildings about their impact on the environment and sustainable design. It has four different certification levels for homes – Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald – and have few minimum requirement to allow the developer flexibility so they can find the best green building practices to suit their project. The National Green Building Program began in 2005…