Which is better for the planet?

Question

Manufacturing a paper cup for one time use;

or

Manufacturing a glass cup, then using energy to run a dishwasher to clean the cup;

Answer 1

Glass, it's cleaner and better.

Global warming -- a gradual increase in planet-wide temperatures -- is now well documented and accepted by scientists as fact. A panel convened by the U.S National Research Council, the nation's premier science policy body, in June 2006 voiced a "high level of confidence" that Earth is the hottest it has been in at least 400 years, and possibly even the last 2,000 years. Studies indicate that the average global surface temperature has increased by approximately 0.5-1.0°F (0.3-0.6°C) over the last century. This is the largest increase in surface temperature in the last 1,000 years and scientists are predicting an even greater increase over this century. This warming is largely attributed to the increase of greenhouse gases (primarily carbon dioxide and methane) in the Earth's upper atmosphere caused by human burning of fossil fuels, industrial, farming, and deforestation activities.

Average global temperatures may increase by 1.4-5.8ºC (that's 2.5 - 10.4º F) by the end of the 21st century. Although the numbers sound small, they can trigger significant changes in climate. (The difference between global temperatures during an Ice Age and an ice-free period is only about 5ºC.) Besides resulting in more hot days, many scientists believe an increase in temperatures may lead to changes in precipitation and weather patterns. Warmer ocean water may result in more intense and frequent tropical storms and hurricanes. Sea levels are also expected to increase by 0.09 - 0.88 m. in the next century, mainly from melting glaciers and expanding seawater . Global warming may also affect wildlife and species that cannot survive in warmer environments may become extinct. Finally, human health is also at stake, as global warming may result in the spreading of certain diseases such as malaria, the flooding of major cities, a greater risk of heat stroke for individuals, and poor air quality.

Climate change is very likely having an impact now on our planet and its life, according to the latest installment of a report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). And the future problems caused by rising seas, growing deserts, and more frequent droughts all look set to affect the developing world more than rich countries, they add. The report is the second chapter of the IPCC's Fourth Assessment -- the most comprehensive summary yet of research into the causes and effects of climate change. To read more, visit Effects of climate change tallied up.

Factors

Greenhouse Gases

The increase in greenhouse gases caused by human activity is often cited as one of the major causes of global warming. These greenhouse gases reabsorb heat reflected from the Earth's surface, thus trapping the heat in our atmosphere. This natural process is essential for life on Earth because it plays an important role in regulating the Earth's temperature. However, over the last several hundred years, humans have been artificially increasing the concentration of these gases, mainly carbon dioxide and methane in the Earth's atmosphere. These gases build up and prevent additional thermal radiation from leaving the Earth, thereby trapping excess heat.

Solar Variability & Global Warming

Some uncertainty remains about the role of natural variations in causing climate change. Solar variability certainly plays a minor role, but it looks like only a quarter of the recent variations can be attributed to the Sun. At most. During the initial discovery period of global warming, the magnitude of the influence of increased activity on the Sun was not well determined.

Solar irradiance changes have been measured reliably by satellites for only 30 years. These precise observations show changes of a few tenths of a percent that depend on the level of activity in the 11-year solar cycle. Changes over longer periods must be inferred from other sources. Estimates of earlier variations are important for calibrating the climate models. While a component of recent global warming may have been caused by the increased solar activity of the last solar cycle, that component was very small compared to the effects of additional greenhouse gases. According to a NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) press release, "...the solar increases do not have the ability to cause large global temperature increases...greenhouse gases are indeed playing the dominant role..." The Sun is once again less bright as we approach solar minimum, yet global warming continues.

GLOBAL WARMING HAS TO STOP BEFORE WE ALL DIE.

Answer 2

i'd go with the glass cup. Plus running a dishwasher uses less water (if it is full) than washing dishes in a sink!

Answer 3

I would say the glass cup because you can drink out of it several thousands of times and with paper cups that would be several thousands of paper cups, also the glass cup can be washed in a dish sink which is less harmful for the environment and uses less energy. Finally even glass can be recycled.

Answer 4

Good question.  I don't know but I think the glass cup because everything is recyclable. The glass can be used over and over and when it breaks it can be recycled. The water used to wash the glass will go down the drain to be treated and placed back into the water system.  But is does take a lot of energy to recycle these items so I am not sure.

Answer 5

I'd opt for the glass cup. Who says you need to run the dishwasher to clean said cup? Ever heard of a sink and two hands?

Answer 6

Water, materials and energy are used in every paper cup which is manufactured, and the cup then ends up in a landfill.

With a glass cup, the only resource which goes into subsequent uses is the water, and energy if you use a dishwasher. And that is shared with a whole dishwasher full of other items.

(p.s. if you don't prewash your dishes, dishwashers use less water than washing by hand)

Answer 7

I go for the paper cup. I mean sure we'd have to cut more trees, but I think it's more reasonable.

Answer 8

Glass

in principle it lasts forever.

Answer 9

why would you use the dishwasher to clean a cup?  

to answer this question is to open a can of worms.  theres so many unanswerable factors.  it's good that you're concerned, but just try and conserve as much as you can.

the answer may eventually be to use paper.  in this case, the paper would come from renewable supplies, like bamboo farms, designed specifically for the purpose.  They will be efficient to construct and easily biodegradable.

Answer 10

Go for the glass!

Each paper cup requires the same energy to produce and ship to you. The glass cup only needs to be produced once, and shipped once. You may need to clean it, but if you are efficient at this, then the energy consumption is minimal. Besides, the raw materials of glass are some of the most abundant material on Earth. So abundant that many communities have stopped recycling glass because recycled glass ends up costing so much that its way cheaper to just produce new glass.