I can understand the concept of sustainability / sustainable development.

1. The choices we make about goods, materials and services that we buy have an impact (both positive and negative) on people and environments locally to globally

2. I can understand the concept of sustainability / sustainable development. I can make comparisons and choices regarding different features of sustainability.

3. Scenario A Council department has decided to put some new benches in the park or Your school has decided to put some new benches in the school grounds Different types of wooden benches or benches made from recycled plastic are being considered. • You will have to decide which type of bench to use, by considering a variety of factors Make a list of questions you would need to ask about each type of bench

4. A: Softwood Bench

5. B: Hardwood bench

6. C: Re-used wood bench

7. D: Recycled plastic bench

8. A: Softwood • Softwoods are evergreen (except larch) and include pines, spruces, firs and cedars. • The yew is one of the few softwoods that is native to the UK.  • There are a number of softwoods (yew) that are harder and tougher than many hardwoods. • Most of the timber used in the UK is softwood, 85% of which is imported, mostly from well-managed forests in Scandinavia and the Baltic States (only 2% is currently sourced outside Europe). • The Forestry Stewardship Council is one of the organisations that certifies well-managed wood. • Use of other materials in the production of timber products (e.g. plastic, metal) noticeably increases their environmental impact. • Wood is often treated with preservatives to make it last longer. Some preservatives contain toxic chemicals.

9. B: Hardwood • Hardwood trees are generally broadleaved, deciduous trees. • The designation hardwood trees does not necessarily relate to the hardness of the wood (balsa is a hardwood). • Typical UK hardwood trees include ash, elm and oak. • Imported hardwood includes maple, walnut, hickory and mahogany. • Most hardwood in the UK comes from well-managed forests in Europe (9% of logs, but 40% of sawn wood, is sourced outside Europe e.g. from USA, Brazil and Malaysia). • The Forestry Stewardship Council is one of the organisations that certifies well-managed wood. • Use of other materials in the production of timber products (e.g. plastic, metal) noticeably increases their environmental impact. • Wood is often treated with preservatives to make it last longer. Some preservatives contain toxic chemicals.

10. C: Re-used wood • Up to 40% of the waste involved in the construction industry is wood. • The UK has only about 1% of the world's population, but has three times the world's average per capita consumption rate of wood.  • About 1.6 million tonnes of wood is sent to landfill sites each year. • Wood recycling and reuse services are growing all over the country. • Benches can be made out of hard or softwood that has been left over from construction projects, reused from demolished houses or made out of trees that have been blown down in storms. • Use of other materials in the production of timber products (e.g. plastic, metal) noticeably increases their environmental impact. • Wood is often treated with preservatives to make it last longer. Some preservatives contain toxic chemicals.

11. D: Recycled plastic • The production of plastics (and metals) is very energy intensive and has a range of environmental impacts: • Plastics production requires significant quantities of resources, primarily fossil fuels, both as a raw material and to deliver energy for the manufacturing process. • Plastics manufacture requires other resources such as land and water and produces waste and emissions. • Plastics production also involves the use of potentially harmful chemicals. • Plastic products take hundreds of years to break down when disposed of and release toxic chemicals when burnt. • In 2001 80% of plastic waste was sent to landfill, 8% incinerated and only 7% recycled (Environment Agency). • Recycling plastic uses energy and produces emissions in the recycling process. Recycled plastic benches need no maintenance (e.g. treating with preservative, repainting) do not rot, and are very long-lasting.