Sustainable Development is a fairly new term and has been used in ways that may not express the actual principles involved. The term is being used to describe new technologies as well as new economies, and both are connected.
Apple Computer Corporation has filed for a patent to protect an interesting, yet possibly controversial packaging innovation. Active Packaging is Apple’s idea of a way to keep on-the-shelf and in-the-package electronic products, such as iPod, charged, updated and ready to use.
The idea emerged when Apple developers wanted to eliminate the need for a new purchaser to charge the device before using or get updates after purchasing.
Electronic innovation is one of the most rapidly changing industries in history. Most new electronic devices will be outdated within one to two years or less. While it is exciting to own the latest devices, the older devices must be dealt with. Throwing them away is no longer an option due to shrinking landfill space and the environmental impact of discarded electronic devices. E-waste, as some have called it, amounts to 20-50 million tons of waste worldwide each year (that’s about 5% of all municipal solid waste).
Urban sprawl or suburban sprawl is a term related to the spreading of a city and its suburbs over rural land at the fringe of an urban area. Sprawl consumes much more land than traditional urban developments because of the low-density nature of the sprawling development.
© 2010 localcooling.com | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
