What is a Marine Protected Area (MPA)? August 10, 2016 A marine protected area (MPA) is ocean space that is protected against human activities or where such activities are strictly regulated by federal, state, territorial, local, or tribal laws. These regulations may include restrictions on development, catch limits, and total bans on removing marine life. The use of MPAs benefits both humans and marine life. In MPAs, populations of marine life are protected from having their populations depleted or habitats destroyed from overfishing or human…

What is Magnetic Separation? August 10, 2016 Definition Magnetic separation is a method of waste management where magnets are used to separate metal from refuse. This is most common in single and mixed streams of recycling as the materials are collected together and separated before processing. Want to Know More Magnetic Separation systems were first used after the Second World War in scrap yards. These magnetic systems were mostly electromagnets, bulky, expensive items that relied on a power source to work and were notorious for…

What is a Low Carbon Economy (LCE)? August 10, 2016 A low carbon economy is a system that aims to minimize its output of greenhouse gasses while functioning as a typical economic program. This structure has become the long-term goal of countries who are trying to reduce the effects of global warming. The move toward low-carbon economies began with the signing of the Kyoto Protocol, which called on nations to reduce their carbon emissions, and has continued with the Paris agreement in 2015. The question…

What is LEED? August 10, 2016 The Leadership in Energy and Environment Design, or LEED, is a third-party certification program by the US Green Building Council that sets the standard for the construction and operation of green buildings. Its goal is to promote the use of green building practices by distinguishing buildings that are designed with the highest levels of sustainability and existing structures that are maintained in a sustainable manner. LEED was developed in 1993 by Robert K. Watson and included non-profit organizations, government…

What is the Kyoto Protocol? August 9, 2016 In the early 1990s, members of the United Nations agreed that global warming was an issue that needed to be addressed. On May 9, 1992, members agreed on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, but it’s loose and vague goals made world governments find it not to be satisfactory. Talks for a more binding agreement started during the first climate change conference in Berlin Germany in 1995. Two and a half years later, a new…