Wagner、L.A.(2002): Materials in the Economy - Material Flows, Scarcity, and the Environment. U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1221, U.S. Department of the Interior/U.S. Geological Survey. 34p.

『経済における物質−物質フローと稀少性と環境』

Contents

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1
Materials in the Economy........................................................................................................................... 2
　Sidebar: Consumption and Use of Materials .................................................................................. 5
Material Flows.............................................................................................................................................. 9
　Sidebar: The Need for Data ............................................................................................................. 10
　Sidebar: Mercury Materials Flow .................................................................................................. 11
Scarcity ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
　Sidebar: Recycling Statistics........................................................................................................... 16
Environment................................................................................................................................................ 18
　Sidebar: Point and Nonpoint Sources of Contamination.Industrial and Natural................. 21
　Sidebar: Are Electric Vehicles the Answer? ................................................................................. 23
　Sidebar: Sulfur.A Materials-Flow Analysis................................................................................ 24
Conclusions ................................................................................................................................................ 28
References Cited ....................................................................................................................................... 28

Figures
1. Graph showing world population growth from 1950 to 2000 ................................................. 2
2. Flowchart showing materials flow cycle.................................................................................. 3
3-4. Graphs showing:
3. Percentage, by weight, of renewable and nonrenewable materials used in the United States from 1900 to 2000... 3
4. U.S. flow of raw materials by weight, 1900.2000 ......................................................... 4
5. Pie chart showing U.S. flow of raw materials by weight, 1950 and 2000 ............................ 7
6. Graph showing U.S. net import reliance for selected nonfuel mineral materials in 2000... 8
7-9. Flowcharts showing:
7. Generalized commodity flow cycle................................................................................. 9
8. Domestic flow of mercury, 1996 .................................................................................... 12
9. Domestic product flow of mercury through end uses, 1996..................................... 13
10. Graph showing reported U.S. industrial consumption of mercury, 1970.97..................... 14
11. Diagram showing pathways for mineral-based materials to enter the environment... 19
12. Bar graph showing number of motor vehicles, by world region, in 1980, 1990, and 1996... 20
13. Graph showing trends in sulfur production in the United States, 1978.2000................... 25
14. Flowchart showing sulfur cycle in the environment ............................................................ 27

Tables
1. Salient U.S. recycling statistics for selected metals, 2000.................................................. 17
2. Generation, materials recovery, composting, and discards of municipal solid waste, 1960-99... 17
3. Generation and recovery of materials in municipal solid waste, 1999.............................. 18
4. Annual emissions and fuel consumption for an average U.S. passenger car ................. 21

Conversion Factors

Conclusions

The flows of materials generated in the world economy significantly affects peoples lives and the global environment. As population increases and people all over the world strive for a rich material life, the world is altered, wastes are generated, and the landscape is modified at a scale that is unprecedented.
In order to meet the people’s future material needs, resources must be used wisely and impacts to the environment need to be minimized. There are many steps that can be taken, and many that have already been taken, to continue satisfying society’s material needs and desires.
It is no easy feat to supply society’s needs and desires without causing some damage to something somewhere. Building a road displaces native animals that inhabit the land. Building a dam changes fish habitats. Building a house means cutting down trees. Certain resources are required and always will be required. The challenge, then, is to find ways to satisfy society’s needs sensibly, with an eye toward balancing material needs with their potential impact on the world’s life-support

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