Sustainability and Innovation

183 pages. Temps de lecture estimé 2h17min.
Protecting the environment and conserving natural resources by using materials in cyclic loopsOne of the most urgent problems facing the world today is environmental sustainability. Current practices of pollution control, waste treatment, and environmental protection are not only hugely expensive and a burden on development but also unsustainable in the long run for their steady depletion of the world's natural resources. Any solutions must have proven economic benefits, be technologically viable, and meet prevailing environmental and social perspectives. The main objective of this new set of studies is to describe methods that help to protect the environment and conserve natural resources. This can be achieved by applying the 'cradle-to-cradle' concept, which aims to use materials in closed cyclic loops without generating any type of waste or pollution. The authors provide the reader with an introduction to basic concepts of sustainable development, describe the mechanisms and benefits of related technologies, and suggest potential uses on a practical level by examining innovations developed in the mechanical engineering laboratories of the American University in Cairo. Particular focus is placed on innovation as a vital means of attaining sustainability. A timely contribution to the debate on environmentally sustainable practices, this book will be indispensable to environmentalists, scientists, economists, engineers, development specialists, and policy-makers, as well as being of interest to the lay reader.1. Sustainability and the Green Economy Salah M. El-Haggar 2. Cradle to Cradle and Innovation Hussein ElKersh and Salah M. El-Haggar 3. The Next Industrial Revolution Salah M. El-Haggar 4. Innovation in Plastic Industry: Upcycle of Plastic Waste 1: Plastic Rejects Salah M. El-Haggar 5. Innovation in Plastic Industry: Upcycle of Plastic Waste 2: Natural Fiber Reinforced Plastics Irene Fahim and Salah M. El-Haggar 6. Innovation in Glass Industry: Upcycle of Glass Waste: Foam Glass Dina Abdel Alim and Salah M. El-Haggar 7. Innovation in Plastic Industry: Upcycle of Plastic Waste 3: Natural Fiber Plastic Composites Mokhtar Kamel and Salah M. El-Haggar 8. Innovation in Marble and Granite Industry: Upcycle of Marble and Granite Wastes Rania Hamza and Salah M. El-Haggar 9. Beyond Sustainability for the Production of Fuel, Food, and Feed Dalia Nakhla and Salah M. El-Haggar 10. Science and Technology Parks for Sustainable Development Salah M. El-Haggar