Exploration of Soda Cans Annotated Bibliography

Fearnside, P. M. (2016). Environmental and social impacts of hydroelectric dams in Brazilian Amazonia: Implications for the aluminum industry. World Development, 77, 48-65.

This source is looking into the social implications of aluminum in its refining and smelting process as well as the social impacts of the mining process of bauxite in different regions of the world. The deposits of bauxite occur in horizontal layers near the earth's surface, and the mining process of this deposits is destructive to the environment. The author takes on a sociological aspect which looks at the cross-section of human or social processes with environmental and material processes. There have been protests against aluminum smelting, but it has been difficult to eradicate the industry's since big transnational companies control the industry, activists demand accountability, transparency, and corporate responsibility. The different social impacts where mining mistakes become coupled with environmental impacts from the pollutants that results such as red sludge. The huge energy amounts needed use hydroelectric power from dams which sometimes flood vast acres of flood among them residential land. This among other atrocities have created some human rights violations, and it is somewhat evident on the depletion of the metal aluminum ores quickly due to its diverse uses.

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Gitlitz, J. S. (2012). Trashed cans: The global environmental impacts of aluminum can wasting in America. Arlington, Va: Container Recycling Institute.

This article looks into the environmental impacts of aluminum soda cans. Aluminum is a valuable metal that has an immense ecological footprint and social costs. Majority of the people fail to see or are unaware of the negative impacts. The process of making aluminum has adverse effects on the environment and the people living near the operations of mining and the industry. Soda cans are primarily made from aluminum, and these cans have ended in some landfills in the United States.

In the list of abundant elements, aluminum third after silicon and oxygen. Aluminum is an active metal meaning it hardly exists on its own. Bauxite ore is the most abundant source of the element. The mining process requires an entire land to be cleared therefore stripping off its vegetation, disturbance of the topsoil and excavation of other rocks. Clearing of the area leads to deforestation and potential loss of biodiversity. This maximizes chances of soil erosion, river sedimentation, water pollution, and land degradation. During the smelting process, the filtering process leaves a toxic sludge known as red sludge which may contain radioactive materials and heavy metals. Additionally, smelting leads to the emission of toxins and greenhouse gases such as fluoride, Sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons, dust, and toxic effluents. The mining, smelting, and refining of bauxite and aluminum are extremely energy intensive as it consumes vast amounts of water and generates water, soil, and air pollution. The source also discusses what some companies have done to boost energy efficiency, reduce the impacts on the local communities, reduce pollution, and better manage mining areas.

Green, J. A. S. (2007). Aluminum recycling and processing for energy conservation and sustainability. Materials Park, Ohio: ASM International.

This source tackles the economic impact of aluminum as used in the making of soda cans. It has positive economic impacts from the recycling of soda cans, the production of secondary aluminum is up to ninety percent of energy costs involved in the initial creation. There is an increase in the availability of jobs in the manufacturing sector including primary secondary, alloy production, and smelting. Aluminum is a hundred percent recyclable, and it retains all its original properties, and it is a material in the consumer disposal stream. The industry involved in recycling is growing. It is profitable and as enables more than seventy percent of aluminum ever produced to be recycled and has later become dispensed to the consumers in different forms. Industries have paid more than eight hundred million dollars for empty aluminum cans for recycling. The recycling programs have made possible for charitable groups and organizations to earn funds that promote their projects and support programs for decades.

Residential waste systems, (2017). The Life Cycle of a Soda Can.

This source explores what happens to a soda can after one drink it. Soda is consumed highly in the United States despite it been termed by a high number of nutritionists and health practitioners as not been healthy for the human body. The source of soda cans becomes explored as well as where their destination is after consumer consumption. Many consumers throw away the empty soda cans in the garbage. This is recommended instead of reckless littering, but it has a downside where they become mixed up with the rest of the waste and placed in selected landfills instead of recycling. On another front, the soda cans are recycled as the aluminum the material which makes soda cans is a hundred percent recyclable without there being a limit to the number of times it can become reused. The source recommends that consumers should rinse out their cans and place them in recycling bins when one is done with them as it enables their full recycling. Whillans, A. V., & Dunn, E. W. (2015). Thinking about time as money decreases environmental behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 127, 44-52.

The source deals with the importance of recycling soda cans as they offer detrimental impacts to the environment. It is essential that the public understand the significance of recycling the aluminum soda cans. The environment is not only affected by failing to recycle but also from the production process and the accumulation of waste in natural sources of water, landfills and soil. Soda cans contribute highly to damages to the environment averaging to forty-sixty percent of road litter, fifty percent of rubbish at all sites and forty-one percent in state waterways. The source includes findings from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) which has located the inside coating of cans to contain organic compounds in the production process. The compounds are carcinogenic and are continuously being released to the atmosphere thereby contaminating local communities and wildfire. Recommendations become offered regarding improving recycling habits. Attention should be paid towards public awareness to encourage neighbors to recycle their beverage in hand so they can learn the importance of recycling and mandate them to spread the knowledge to their network.

References

Fearnside, P. M. (2016). Environmental and social impacts of hydroelectric dams in Brazilian Amazonia: Implications for the aluminum industry. World Development, 77, 48-65.

Gitlitz, J. S. (2012). Trashed cans: The global environmental impacts of aluminum can wasting in America. Arlington, Va: Container Recycling Institute.

Green, J. A. (2007). Aluminum recycling and processing for energy conservation and sustainability. ASM International: Materials Park, Ohio.

Residential waste systems. (2017). The Life Cycle of a Soda Can.

Whillans, A. V., & Dunn, E. W. (2015). Thinking about time as money decreases environmental behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 127, 44-52.