Resource efficiency issues
Discover the environmental issues behind the resources
you use at work.
energy
water
pollution
waste
chemicals
Energy
Energy is essential to virtually
every aspect of personal and
business activity.
We use both renewable and
non-renewable energy
sources for our energy needs.
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Energy
Energy is essential to virtually
every aspect of personal and
business activity.
We use both renewable and
non-renewable energy
sources for our energy needs.
• Electricity and gas are used in offices for lighting,
heating and cooling, air conditioning, and operating
equipment such as computers, printers, fax machines,
cordless phones and photocopiers.
• Energy is also essential for transport, and services
and products we use that require energy to be
created and supplied.
• Industry and commercial consumption of energy
accounts for 62% of electricity used in NSW.
If businesses can save energy or use more sustainable
forms of energy, everyone benefits.
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Energy
Energy usage in a typical office
Lifts
Hot water
Energy is essential to virtually
every aspect of personal and
business activity.
Heating
Cooling
Artificial lighting
We use both renewable and
non-renewable energy
sources for our energy needs.
Ventilation
Office equipment
Source: Dept. of Sustainability and Environment Victoria
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Energy
Energy is essential to virtually
every aspect of personal and
business activity.
We use both renewable and
non-renewable energy
sources for our energy needs.
• Renewable energy is naturally replenished,
sustainable energy that comes from the natural
environment. Eg wind and sunlight.
• Non-renewable energy cannot be replenished. Once
it’s used, it’s gone. Eg coal, oil, gas.
• Most electricity in Australia comes from coal fired
power stations that release high levels of carbon
dioxide and other greenhouse gases and
pollutants into the environment.
• 36% of NSW greenhouse gas emissions come from
electricity generation or use.
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Water
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
• scarcity
• water quality
• waste and disposal
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Water
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
There is an increasing demand for water and a decline
in water availability.
In 2004-5 Australian households and businesses
consumed 18,767 gigalitres of water, the equivalent of
about 40 times the volume of Sydney Harbour.
• scarcity
• water quality
• waste and disposal
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Water
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
There is an increasing demand for water and a decline
in water availability.
In 2004-5 Australian households and businesses
consumed 18,767 gigalitres of water, the equivalent of
about 40 times the volume of Sydney Harbour.
Increasing demand is due to a number of factors:
• Population growth
• scarcity
• Urbanisation
• water quality
• Industrial growth
• waste and disposal
• Agricultural development
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Water
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
In 2004-5 Australian households
and businesses
Usage
by sectors (2004)
consumed 18,767 gigalitres of water, the equivalent of
Electricity and gas 1%
about 40 times the volume of Sydney
Harbour.
Mining 2%
Manufacturing 3%
• scarcity
Water supply 11%
• water quality
Households 11%
• waste and disposal
Agriculture 65%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics 2006
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Water
Water quality is affected by a number of factors.
Poor water quality creates problems for humans and
for the environment.
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
• scarcity
• water quality
• waste and disposal
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Water
Water quality is affected by a number of factors.
Poor water quality creates problems for humans and
for the environment.
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
• scarcity
• water quality
• waste and disposal
Factors affecting water quality include:
• Runoff from detergents and fertilisers
• Sewage
• Toxic emissions from industry
• Groundwater contamination from landfill
• Litter washed into drains
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Water
Water quality is affected by a number of factors.
Poor water quality creates problems for humans and
for the environment.
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
• scarcity
• water quality
• waste and disposal
Problems for humans and the environment
include:
• Contaminated drinking water causes health
problems for humans.
• Contaminated waterways result in oxygen levels
being altered. This results in the growth of plants
such as blue-green algae which choke the
waterways, killing other plants, fish and wildlife.
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Water
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
Only 25% of the drinkable water in Australian cities is
used for drinking and watering gardens. The rest is
discharged into rivers and oceans via the sewerage
system and stormwater drains.
Breakdown of typical water use in an Australian office
• scarcity
• water quality
• waste and disposal
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Water
Irrigation/landscaping 1%
Other, eg cleaning 2%
Three key issues
associated with
water are:
Breakdown of typical water use in an Australian office
Retail, eg food 3%
Leakage, eg taps, pumps 26%
• scarcity
Cooling towers/air con 31%
• water quality
Amenities, eg toilets 37%
• waste and disposal
Source: Dept. of Sustainability and
Environment Victoria
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Pollution
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
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Pollution
There are many types of pollutants that damage our
water system: Pathogens, Nutrients, Toxicants & Litter.
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
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Pollution
There are many types of pollutants that damage our
water system: Pathogens, Nutrients, Toxicants & Litter.
Some ways humans damage water systems are by:
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
• Emptying paint down the drain
• Washing cars or boats on the driveway
• Disposing of car oil down the drain
• Excessive use of aerosols
• Careless use of pesticides and herbicides
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Pollution
Sources of pollution
include:
There are many types of pollutants that damage our
water system: Pathogens, Nutrients, Toxicants & Litter.
Pathogens are microscopic organisms (eg viruses,
bacteria, fungi and parasites). A dangerous common
pathogen is E.coli bacteria. Sources of E.coli include:
• Animal faeces
• Water pollution
• Garden fertilisers and manure
• Noise pollution
• Septic tanks and unsewered premises
• Air pollution
• Sewer overflows and damaged sewers
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Pollution
There are many types of pollutants that damage our
water system: Pathogens, Nutrients, Toxicants & Litter.
Sources of pollution
include:
Nutrients, eg nitrogen and phosphorus, can pollute
waterways resulting in excessive plant growth choking
waterways and causing fluctuations in oxygen levels.
Sources of nutrients are:
• Water pollution
• Human and animal wastes
• Leaching from landfill
• Plant matter
• Kitchen wastes
• Garden fertilisers
• Nitrous oxides from car
exhaust and lightning
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
• Detergents
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Pollution
There are many types of pollutants that damage our
water system: Pathogens, Nutrients, Toxicants & Litter.
Sources of pollution
include:
Toxicants are substances, which at certain
concentrations, are poisonous to living things. Many
products used inside and outside homes and
workplaces contain toxins such as:
• Water pollution
• Oil and petrol
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
• Treated pine
• Garden herbicides,
pesticides and fertilisers
• Paints and primers
• Some cleaning fluids
• Solvents
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Pollution
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
There are many types of pollutants that damage our
water system: Pathogens, Nutrients, Toxicants & Litter.
Litter is the most visible sign of water pollution, and its
presence indicates that other contaminants may also
be present.
Litter can include:
• foams, plastics, food containers, cigarette butts and
other items discarded on streets.
Most of this rubbish is washed into gutters and then
into the stormwater system, which discharges to
waterways and bays.
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Pollution
Noise pollution is defined as unwanted noise that
unreasonably intrudes on daily activities.
It is becoming an increasing problem as urban areas
grow larger.
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
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Pollution
Noise pollution is defined as unwanted noise that
unreasonably intrudes on daily activities.
It is becoming an increasing problem as urban areas
grow larger.
Sources of pollution
include:
Noise pollution can come from:
• Water pollution
• Use of machinery
• Noise pollution
• Loud vehicles
• Air pollution
• Alarms
• Neighbourhood noise, such as barking dogs
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Pollution
Noise pollution is defined as unwanted noise that
unreasonable intrudes on daily activities.
It is becoming an increasing problem as urban areas
grow larger.
Sources of pollution
include:
Problems or impacts of noise depend on:
• Water pollution
• Noise level
• Noise pollution
• Type of noise
• Air pollution
• How it is perceived (what is music to one person
might be offensive to another)
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Pollution
Air quality has a significant effect on the health of the
community. This relates to both indoor air quality and
outdoor air quality.
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
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Pollution
Sources of pollution
include:
Air quality has a significant effect on the health of the
community. This relates to both indoor air quality and
outdoor air quality.
Poor air quality affects people’s health and well
being. It can cause:
• Irritation of skin, eyes and throat
• Water pollution
• Headache, drowsiness and general irritability
• Noise pollution
• Unpleasant odour and taste symptoms
• Air pollution
• Neurotoxic symptoms such as anaphylaxis
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Pollution
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
• Air pollution
Air quality has a significant effect on the health of the
community. This relates to both indoor air quality and
outdoor air quality.
Indoor air quality is impacted by:
• Use of gas cookers and un-flued gas heaters
• Chemicals and toxicants such as formaldehyde
• Biological pollutants such as fungi, dust mites,
moulds, pest droppings
The CSIRO estimates that the cost of poor indoor air
quality in Australia may be as high as $12 billion.
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Pollution
Sources of pollution
include:
• Water pollution
• Noise pollution
Air quality has a significant effect on the health of the
community. This relates to both indoor air quality and
outdoor air quality.
Outdoor air quality is affected by:
• Motor vehicle emissions
• Wood and outdoor rubbish burning
• Emissions from factories and industrial plants
• Air pollution
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Waste
Every business generates
rubbish. Some goes into
the bin, some into the
recycling.
What goes into your bin
ends up in the rubbish tip
as landfill.
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Waste
Every business generates
rubbish. Some goes into
the bin, some into the
recycling.
What goes into your bin
ends up in the rubbish tip
as landfill.
What kinds of rubbish are discarded on any given day
in an office?
• Paper
• Packaging
• Plastic wrap
• Food scraps
• Drink containers
• Pens
• Paper towels
• Ink and toner cartridges
• Damaged or broken office equipment
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Waste
Landfill creates environmental problems including:
• Decomposing rubbish produces greenhouse gases
such as CO2.
Every business generates
rubbish. Some goes into
the bin, some into the
recycling.
What goes into your bin
ends up in the rubbish tip
as landfill.
• The emissions from these gases create air pollution
and bad odours, which interfere with quality of human
life.
• Chemicals released from the decomposing waste can
leach into the soil and water.
Landfill takes up a large area of land, which could be
used for better purposes such as housing, farming or
community space.
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Chemicals
Many chemicals have
been introduced into the
environment by humans.
Many are the products of
waste from industry and
agriculture. These
chemicals are toxic and
pose significant health
and environmental risks.
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Chemicals
Many chemicals have
been introduced into the
environment by humans.
Many are the products of
waste from industry and
agriculture. These
chemicals are toxic and
pose significant health
and environmental risks.
Chemicals enter air, often as industrial and motor
vehicle emissions.
Chemicals enter water via effluent and runoff.
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Chemicals
Health and environment risks include:
• Industrial and motor vehicle emission of nitrogen and
sulphur oxides causes acid rain.
Many chemicals have
been introduced into the
environment by humans.
Many are the products of
waste from industry and
agriculture. These
chemicals are toxic and
pose significant health
and environmental risks.
• Carbon dioxide causes the greenhouse effect and
climate change.
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) cause the destruction of
the ozone layer and creates the possibility of
ultraviolet radiation.
• Overflow of chemical fertilisers and nutrients from
farms and gardens can lead to growth of toxic algae in
rivers.
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