NEW Resource Management Flashcards

Significance of food

Without enough food, people can become malnourished. This can make them ill. This can prevent people working or receiving education.

Significance of water

People need a supply of clean and safe water for drinking, cooking and washing. Water is also needed for food, clothes and other products.

Significance of energy

A good supply of energy is needed for a basic standard of living. People need light and heat for cooking or to stay warm. It is also needed for industry.

Why is there growing demand for food to be imported in the UK, and how much food does the UK import?

The UK imports about 40% of its food.

• Demand for greater choice and more exotic foods & seasonal food all year round

• Foods from abroad are more affordable: UK-produced food can be expensive because of poor harvest and the price of animal feed

• UK’s climate is unsuitable for the production of some foods, such as cocoa, tea and bananas.

What are the advantages of food being imported for the source country?

• Jobs are created: farming, packaging, transport

• From the wages, taxes are paid to the government, which can then fund things such as schools and hospitals

• Jobs supply wages for local people

What are the disadvantages of food being imported for the source country?

• people growing the crops could be exposed to chemicals such as pesticides

• less land is available for locals to grow food and eat

• often these crops need huge amounts of water in areas where the supply is unreliable or poor

General disadvantages for importing food

• Increase in food miles - the distance the food has travelled. this increases the carbon footprint of the food: the amount of carbon dioxide that has been released

Disadvantages for sourcing food from within the UK

some foods need a huge amount of energy to produce such as for heating greenhouses and can use large amounts of water and need lots of land

What is an agribusiness?

When a farm is run like a large industrial business - large-scale, money-intensive commercial activities. They use more machinery and greater use of pesticides and fertilisers.

e.g. Lynford House Farm: flat, fertile land to maximise efficiency

chemicals are widely used as pesticides are fertilisers

Disadvantages of agribusiness.

• Negative impact on the environment through the increased use of chemical fertilisers & pesticides.

• Farms have become more mechanised so there has been a decline in agricultural employment

• Smaller family farms compete with large farms

• Sometimes greenhouses are used which needs a huge amount of energy to produce.

What risks does agribusiness face?

• weather

• insect infestations

• unexpected livestock deaths from disease

advantages of agribusiness

• more food security

• cheaper prices for consumers

What is organic farming?

Farming without the use of chemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides.

• natural predators used to consume pests

• crops rotated to maintain nutrients

• natural fertilisers used

Advantages of organic farming

• it contains fewer pesticides and chemicals

• natural

• positive for the environment and results in less water pollution

• some people are willing to pay more because they think it tastes better

• provide local employment

• reduces emissions as food is grown locally - less food miles

Disadvantages of organic farming

• more expensive for consumers

• yields are lower than on farms that use chemicals

• significantly higher production costs due to labour-intensive practices

Why are demands for water increasing in the UK?

• Increase in population

• Increased use of water intensive appliances like washing machines and dishwashers

• Increased sanitation levels so more showers and baths

• Water is needed for manufacturing and to produce energy, both of which have increased

• Farming increases to feed a growing population

deficit & surplus of water in the UK

The north and west have a water surplus (more water than required)

The south and east have a water deficit (less water than required)

More than half of England is experiencing water stress (where demand exceeds supply)

Cause & effect of water pollution

• chemical run-off from farmland can destroy habitats and kills animals

• oil from boats and ships poisons wildlife

• untreated waste from industries creates unsafe drinking water

• sewage containing bacteria spreads infectious diseases

Why does demand for resources outstrip supply?

• Population growth: global population has risen exponentially this century

• Global population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050.

• With more people, them demand for food, water, energy, jobs and space will increase.

• Economic development: As LICs and NEEs develop further, they require more energy for industry.

• LICs and NEEs want similar lifestyles to HICs, therefore they will need to consume more resources.

• Development means more water is required for food production as diet improves.

• Changing technology and equipment: the demand for resources has driven the need for new technology to reach or gain more resources

• More people in the secondary and tertiary industry has increased the demand for resources required for electronics and robotics.

consumption

the act of using up resources or purchasing goods and produce.

carry capacity

a maximum number of species that can be supported

primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary industry

primary: extracting raw materials: farming, mining, fishing, forestry

secondary: manufactures, processes and builds goods using raw materials: car manufacturing, food processing and construction

tertiary: services rather than physical goods: hairdressing, banking, retail and teaching

quaternary: IT

Water pollution management

• UK has strict laws that limit the amount of discharge from factories and farms

• Education campaigns to inform what can be disposed of safely

• Waste water treatment plans remove dangerous elements to then be used for safe drinking. Pollution traps catch and filter pollutants.

Solutions to the water issue in the UK & the advantages and disadvantages

1. Water Conservation: reducing leakages - 20% is lost this way, improving public awareness on the importance of saving water, recycling water from people’s homes and using it for something else, water saving appliances

Disadvantage: small scale, no official laws

advantages: sustainable, does not cause damage to the environment

2. Managing Water Quality: monitoring the quality of river water, filtering water to remove sediment, purifying water by adding chlorine

disadvantages: pollution can still find its way into our water supplies, not always proof of who caused the pollution

advantages: sustainable, improves habitats & prevents poisonous chemicals travelling through the food chain to us

3. Water Transfer: moving water through pipes from areas of surplus to areas of deficit

disadvantages: very expensive, very environmentally damaging, if the water supply runs out the area where water is being transferred will suffer.

Why has demand for energy in the UK decreased?

• Energy saving appliances

• Heavy industry has closed down or moved abroad

• There is better insulation in buildings meaning less heating is needed

Changes in energy mix

• 75% of the UK’s oil and gas has been used up

• Coal consumption has declined. We have nearly run out of coal and it is too expensive to get what’s left. 

• UK has become too reliant on imported energy. - oil makes us reliant on other countries

• Gas: we have gas supplies in the UK so we are more self-reliant

• Use of renewable energy have increased

Fracking

Fracking is the process of extracting natural gas from rocks. Water is injected under high pressure, breaking the rocks apart and releasing the gas.

Disadvantages

• Leads to pollution of groundwater and therefore drinking water

• Large quantities of water are needed

• Bad for wildlife

• Can cause small, local earthquakes

Advantages

• Brings in income

• Provides jobs in local area

• UK has reserves of gas that can be used to produce energy

Fossil Fuels Economic Issues & Opportunities

Issues:

• Not sustainable and not renewable

• Costs increase to deal with the effects of climate change and adaptation to it

Opportunities:

• Creation of jobs

• Can cause the multiplier effect

• Reliable

• More energy

Fossil Fuels Environmental Issues & Opportunities

Issues:

• Carbon dioxide is released which is a greenhouse gas and causes climate change

• Oil spills can devastate wildlife

Opportunities:

Carbon capture and storage could help to reduce carbon emissions

Nuclear Energy Economic Issues & Opportunities

Issues:

• Nuclear plants are expensive to build

• Cost to transport and store nuclear waste is high

Opportunities:

• Jobs created in research and development

• Reliable

• Produces lots of energy

Nuclear Energy Environmental Issues & Opportunities

Issues:

• Waste remains radioactive for over 100 years and has to be stored safely

• Nuclear accidents although rare, can release radiation into the atmosphere which has long term impacts on wildlife and people

Opportunities:

• Cleaner and less polluting than fossil fuels

Renewable Energy Economic Issues & Opportunities

Issues:

• High set up costs such as wind turbines and solar panels. Costs rise further in remote areas

• Tourism declines as environments lose their visual appeal which results in income loss

• Low profitability is a concern

Opportunities:

• Jobs are created in the manufacture and installation of solar panels and wind turbines

• Research and development jobs

Renewable Energy Environmental Issues & Opportunities

Issues: 

• Many are considered ugly and ruin the views in both the countryside and the coast

• Wind turbines can affect bird migration

• Hydroelectric dams can flood large areas of land damaging wildlife

Opportunities:

• Lower carbon emissions

• Sustainable - never run out

Water security

Water security is when people have good access to enough clean water to sustain well-being and good health

Water insecurity

Water insecurity is when areas are without sufficient water supplies.

Water stress

When the demand for water exceeds the available amount during a certain period or when poor quality restricts its use.

Why do areas have water deficit?

Physical:

1. Climate needs to provide enough rainfall to feed lakes and rivers. Droughts affect supply. - Sahara Desert

2. Geology - types of rock: If there are aquifers in an area, there will be an underground water store; impermeable rock means that you cannot store water under the ground. London has permeable rock - clay

Human:

1. Pollution caused from human, industrial & agricultural waste being dumped into water sources: River Ganges, most polluted river in the world - bathing in and drinking the water is very dangerous

2. Poverty prevents low income families affording water

3. Limited infrastructure such as a lack of water pipes and sewers

4. Over-abstraction - when more water is taken than is replaced.

What are the main sources of fresh water?

• Rivers

• Groundwater (water that collects beneath the ground and is pumped up to the surface)

• Reservoirs (water that collects behind a dam)

Impacts of water insecurity

• Food production: lack of water means less crops - leads to malnutrition/starvation, and affects profits

Example: In the USA, 1/3 of the world’s staple crops (wheat, maize and rice) are grown but they are prone to drought. In California, there are no rules regulating the use of groundwater. Due to this, groundwater is used more than is replenished resulting in a water scarcity.

• Industrial output: manufacturing industries depend heavily on water. A severe lack of water will impact economic output.

• Disease & water pollution: inadequate sanitation systems cause diseases such as cholera, typhoid, dysentery, malaria - reduce life expectancies & quality of work performance

• Water conflict at areas where water supplies cross international borders. e.g. Egypt and Ethiopia

Methods to increase water supply

• Water diversion

• Dams and reservoirs

• Water transfer

• Desalination

Water diversion: advantages and disadvantages

• Water diversion: diverting water to be stored for longer periods; often water is pumped into underground aquifers to prevent evaporation. e.g. in Oklahoma, USA, where there is a large amount of rainfall

Advantages

• Saves water that would otherwise be lost

• Creates a spare water source for when there are drought periods

Disadvantages:

• Cannot be used in areas where droughts are more common due to climate change

• Smaller reservoirs can flood areas of land displacing people or destroying wildlife

Dams and reservoirs: advantages & disadvantages

• Dams and reservoirs: Rivers are an important source of freshwater, but when this flows out to the sea, it mixes with saltwater and becomes unusable. Dams are a large wall that are built across a river to block the flow. This creates a store of water behind it called a reservoir. When there are droughts, more water can also be released down the river.

Advantages:

• Hydroelectric power can be produced as water passes through the dam

• A reservoir is a huge supply of water

• Water flow down the river can be controlled during times of flooding and droughts

• The reservoir can be used for recreation and entertainment

Disadvantages:

• The reservoir floods a huge area of land behind it resulting in loss of land and villages

• They are very expensive to build

• Stops natural animal migrations such as fish down the river

Desalination: advantages & disadvantages

This is the process of removing salt from seawater so it can be used as freshwater. e.g. Dubai.

Advantages:

• Good option for areas near the coast

• Good option for HICs
  

Disadvantages:

• Uses a huge amount of energy

• The energy used can be environmentally damaging through the release of greenhouse gases

• The salt produced can damage marine ecosystems when it is dumped back into the ocean

Water transfer: advantages & disadvantages

This is when water is pumped from areas of water surplus to areas of water deficit. Reservoirs are built to store water and then pipes and canals are built to transfer the water.

e.g. Las Vegas is able to exist in the middle of Nevada Desert as water is pumped to it, UK Kielder water transfer scheme, Lesotho Highland Water Project

Advantages:

• Very effective

• Makes good use of freshwater supplies

Disadvantages

• Very expensive

• Can be environmentally damaging to build the canals to pump water from one area to another

• Some people may be displaced to build canals

• Takes a large amount of energy to pump such large water supplies

Lesotho Highland Water Project

Lesotho is a small country within South Africa. Lesotho is a highland area with plenty of rainfall and rivers. South Africa however often suffers droughts but has a large population demanding water. 

This scheme has a system of dams in Lesotho to collect water and then this is transferred to neighbouring South Africa.

Lesotho Advantages and Disadvantages:

• Income accounts for 75% of the GDP - helps support their economic development

• Improved road infrastructure

• Improvements to safe water supply and sanitation

• Over 30 000 people have been displaced due to the reservoirs flooding land

• 40% of the water is lost through leaks

• Wildlife destroyed through the flooding of land

• Corruption has prevented compensation reaching people who have been affected

• Loss of agricultural land is bad in a country where a high percentage of people are farmers

South Africa Advantages and Disadvantages:

• A more reliable source of water for irrigation and industrial use

• Provision of safe water for those who do not have it

• The cost is US$4billion

• 40% of the water is lost through leaks

• Some poorer residents cannot afford the water

Making Water Supplies more Sustainable

Ensuring water supplies don’t cause damage to the environment whilst also supporting the local economy.

1. Water Conservation
   Conserving water is about reducing waste and unnecessary use. This can include

• Reducing leaks (25-30% of water worldwide is lost through leaks)

• Water tariffs and increased charges for large uses

• Improving public awareness on the importance of saving water

• Water meters to encourage people to use water sensibly

• Preventing pollutions

2. Groundwater Management

   Groundwater stored in underground aquifers (rocks that can hold water) has to be managed to maintain its quantity and quality. Water loss (abstraction) must be balanced with refill (recharge).

   Government can create strict laws and guidelines for the use of groundwater. In HICs, this is very effective and managed by water companies and local water authorities.

3. Grey Water

Greywater is water taken from bathroom sinks, baths, showers and washing machines. It can be used again rather than returned to the sea.

Wakel River Basin

A project in India that has encouraged greater use of rainwater harvesting techniques to collect and store water. This benefits villages and individual families.

The methods used are

• Taankas: store water underground

• Joheds:  small earth dams to collect rainwater. These have helped to raise water tables by 6m. Five rivers that used to run dry after the monsoon now flow all year

• Pats: irrigation channels that transfer water to the fields

• Villages take turns to irrigate their

fields so water is not overused.

• Maintained by farmers so it is

entirely sustainable.

• Greater education for awareness.