8


ENGINEERING AND SUSTAINABILITY 8.1 Vocabulary synonyms • nouns from verbs • paraphrasing A Discuss the following questions.


1 What is meant by sustainability with regard to engineering design and development?


2 Are the products in box a sustainable? Why/why not?


B Study diagrams A and B on the opposite page. 1 Explain one of the diagrams to your partner.


2 How are the diagrams similar? How are they different?


3 Which stages of the product life cycle do pictures C, D and E represent?


C Look up each noun in box b in a dictionary. 1 Is it countable, uncountable or both?


2 What is its meaning in engineering? 3 What is a good synonym? 4 What useful grammatical information can you find?


D Study the two lists of verbs in box c. 1 Match the verbs with similar meanings.


2 Make nouns from the verbs if possible. E Look at the Hadford University handout.


1 How does the writer restate each section heading in the paragraph?


2 Find synonyms for the blue words. Use a dictionary if necessary.


3 Rewrite each sentence to make paraphrases of synonyms you have found yourself ● the nouns you made in Exercise D any other words that are necessary


the texts. Use: ●


●


● ●


synonyms from Exercise C passives where possible


Example:


It therefore implies enormous changes in how … ËConsequently, considerable adjustments need to be made in the way that …


F Study diagram F on the opposite page. 1 What are the three main spheres of sustainability?


2 To which segment, indicated by the arrows, do each of the bullet points belong?


62 Concepts in engineering and sustainability


A Sustainability The word sustainability can be difficult to define. Broadly, it means using the Earth’s natural resources responsibly, to meet current and future needs without harming the environment. This is a difficult undertaking, since many of our resources are finite. It therefore implies enormous changes in how we use these resources and care for the environment.


B Sustainable development


Sustainable development means considering environmental and social factors, as well as financial ones. Many problems of unsustainable growth relate to the products engineers have designed and produced. Engineers therefore have a key role to play in the areas of energy use, materials, waste and water. They are now developing renewable energy technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions which lead to climate change. They are also redesigning products to reduce waste by exploiting the potential of recycled materials.


c b a


glass


oil


plastic solar energy combustion commodity


consumption damage depletion development disposal environment field material planet recycling resource waste


1


care for consider define exploit imply


lead (to) meet reduce


relate (to) use


satisfy mean utilize protect explain


think about cut


concern result (in)


take advantage of 2


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