Measure+Twice,+Cut+Once



Kevin Alexander Watters Sustainability Problems Don’t Worry

Measure Twice, Cut Once The actions we make as humans in changing our natural environments often have unexpected consequences, as seen with natural disasters like Katrina and most notably today, global warming and climate change.

Through years of research and analysis of events, we have been able to see the effects of our creations and designs. Many times, in order to change our habits or technologies, we have to invent alternative methods and techniques to achieving the same goal, since we obviously cannot go backwards.

Going back to the TVA incident, this is an example of an unexpected or (expected) consequence to the choices we made in choosing coal as a fuel source. What I find interesting and as a sign for caution are the unexpected consequences that could come from further decisions we make.

To go back in history, we chose coal because it was cheap and plentiful. Then we noticed that the fly ash was harmful when released into the atmosphere so we regulated the emmitance of fly ash into the environment and found ALTERNATIVE ways of disposing of the fly ash. The alternative method is much less environmentally harmful and even helps the environment.

By choosing to switch to settlement ponds, the alternative method, the environment was helped two fold. The fly ash was no longer being released into the air, but it was also being reused as an ALTERNATIVE to Portland cement. This innovation in the making of concrete allowed the strengthening and relilience of concrete to increase but also reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions into the air; and im not talking about from the fly ash, there was a decreased amount in carbon dioxide emissions because of the reduction in Portland cement productuion which produces 1 ton of CO2 for every ton of Portland cement.

Similar to how we should be careful and think about the possible consequences our actions may create when altering our natural environment, we must also be mindful of the possible consequences our actions may create when altering our built environment. I emphasize this because as I have shown with the possibility of listing fly ash as a hazardous waste, would effect at least one product in our built environment, which would require the creation of another alternative.

Our built environment in many respects has become our New Natural Environment. We now have the problem of altering something in our New Natural Environment and having to be mindful of the consequences our actions may have on our Built Enviornment and the Old Natural Environment.