PAPER 2 - The Challenge Of Resource Management Flashcards
What is a resource?
A stock or supply of something that has a value or purpose
How is food significant for our wellbeing?
Nutrients, vitamins & minerals - keep you healthy
Calories - fuel for our bodies
We need them to work & enjoy ourselves
How is water significant for our wellbeing?
Drink for survival
Wash & dispose waste
Grow & process food
Wash clothes
How is energy significant for our wellbeing?
Make bricks
Heat homes
Transport us
Power machinery
Process food
What is the global distribution of food?
Disparity between average calorie consumption in HICs and LICs
UK - 3200 per person
Somalia - 1580 per person
What is the global distribution of water?
Global average water footprint - 1240 litres
USA - 2483 litres
Bangladesh - 896 litres
What is the global distribution of energy?
Richest 1 billion in the world consume 50% of the world’s energy
Poorest 1 billion consume only 4%
How has the demand and supply of food in the UK changed?
Before supermarkets - food was seasonal & sourced in the uk
We now eat exotic fruit & veg year round
We import food via sea & air (even if it can be grown in the uk) because it is cheaper
This impacts food miles & carbon footprint
What are Food miles?
What is Carbon footprint?
Food miles
= how far food has travelled, from where it was grown to where it is consumed.
Carbon footprint
= the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere.
What is Agribusiness?
What is Organic Produce?
Agribusiness
= intensive farming aimed at maximising the amount of food produced using modern technology and chemicals.
Organic Produce
= local and seasonal foods grown without the use of chemicals.
Agribusiness - Lynford House Farm
570 hectares
Intensely farmed to maximise productivity & profitability
Main crops produced - Wheat, Sugar beet, & Potatoes
Employ a small number of workers
Chemicals are widely used as Pesticides & fertilisers
Addressed frequent water shortages by investing in a 54 million litre reservoir
Riverford Organic Farms
Regional farms in Devon, Yorkshire, Peterborough, & Hampshire
+ Reduce food miles
+ Support local farmers
+ Provide local employment
+ Build a strong link between grower & consumer
- Expensive
- Less output or food
- Seasonal food only
How has the demand and supply of water in the UK changed?
Increased because:
• growing population
• more houses being built
• increase in the use of water intensive domestic (e.g. washing machines)
How is water supply distributed in the uk?
North & west of UK = water surplus
High rainfall & relatively low population density
South & east of UK = water deficit
Low rainfall & high population density
How can we save water?
• using domestic water meters to keep track of water usage
• increase the use of recycled water
• use efficient domestic appliances which use less water
• grey water (waste from people’s homes) can be used to irrigate crops
How can we transfer water?
• water is transferred from areas of water surplus to areas of water deficit
There is opposition to large scale schemes due to:
• high costs
• destroying habitats
• pollution from greenhouse gases needed to pump water
How can we prevent water pollution?
Legislation:
• laws can prevent factories & farms from polluting water sources
• through giving penalties & fines
Education:
• the public can be informed about the damage water pollution causes
Green roofs/walls:
• help to filter out the pollutants in rainwater
Waste water treatment plants:
• removes sodium & pollutants for clean water
How has the demand and supply of energy in the UK changed? Why?
• The population has increased by 6.5 million since 1970
• We consume less energy today:
- Average household consumes 12% less
- Industry consumes 60% less
This is due to:
• energy efficient devices (e.g. lightbulbs & washing machines)
• increasing awareness of the public to save energy
• increased cost of energy leading to lower consumption
What is an energy mix?
How has the UK’s energy mix shifted fr0m 1990 to 2007?
Energy mix
= the different sources of energy used by people
• In 1990 the majority of energy was from coal, followed by nuclear. The minority was gas.
• In 2007 the majority was gas. Coal and nuclear were close seconds and the minority was renewables.
What are the opportunities & challenges of fossil fuels as an energy source?
(Environmental & economic)
Environmental opportunity: carbon capture is efficient & reverses the impacts of burning fossil fuels.
Economic opportunity: the creation of jobs brings money to the local area & leads to the multiplier effect.
Environmental challenge: burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, leading to climate change.
Economic challenge: coal is expensive to mine.
What are the opportunities & challenges of nuclear as an energy source?
(Environmental & economic)
Environmental opportunity: cleaner & less polluting than fossil fuels.
Economic opportunity: creates jobs especially in research & development.
Environmental challenge: waste from nuclear power stations can cause contamination.
Economic challenge: building nuclear power plants is very expensive.
What are the opportunities & challenges of renewables as an energy source?
(Environmental & economic)
Environmental opportunity: produce much lower carbon emissions than fossil fuels.
Economic opportunity: jobs in manufacturing, research, & development of new technology.
Environmental challenge: can be noisy, disruptive, & ruin the landscape.
Economic challenge: high set up costs of renewable energy like wind turbines & solar panels.
What are the opportunities & challenges of fracking as an energy source?
Opportunities:
Better than using coal
Access to more natural gas (, ?)
Helps with gas demand
Challenges:
Water contamination
Small earthquakes
Releases methane
Large scale water transfer scheme
The Lesotho highland water project
