Resource Use and Sustainability pt. 1

Resource

Something of value that needs to be consumed to obtain benefit from it

Where do we get resources and why?

We obtain resources from the environment to meet our needs and wants; they must be conserved and not wasted

Natural resources

Resources provided by nature, e.g. land, soil, water, air, minerals, plants and animals

Human resources

People that perform different functions; the more skilled the labour, the more economically valuable it becomes

Manufactured resources

Items made by people through processing and manufacturing, e.g. buildings, machines, tools, factories, ports, roads and electricity

Financial resources

Capital (money) needed to buy raw materials and finished goods and to pay wages

Two types of natural resources

Non-renewable resources and renewable resources

Renewable resource

Also known as a flow resource; can be replenished naturally over time

Non-renewable resource

A natural resource that cannot be produced, grown or generated; once used up there is no more left, as it exists in a fixed amount used up faster than nature can create it

Examples of non-renewable fossil fuels

Coal, petroleum, natural gas, nuclear power (uranium)

Examples of non-renewable minerals

Iron, gold, platinum

Main source of South Africa's electricity

Almost all electricity comes from coal, with small amounts from nuclear power and hydro-electric power

Is SA's electricity mostly renewable or non-renewable?

Mostly non-renewable, since it comes almost entirely from coal

Problem with coal-burning power stations

They produce large volumes of greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming and also cause acid rain

Tragedy of the commons

A problem where many individuals, acting in their own self-interest, ultimately deplete a shared limited resource, e.g. over-fishing the oceans

Over-fishing

Catching too many fish for the system to support; an example of non-sustainable use of the oceans

Effect of over-fishing on fish populations

Catching so many adult fish that not enough remain to breed and replenish stocks

Why commercial fishing is so damaging

Commercial fishing methods have become very efficient, using large nets and sea-going factories

5 fishing techniques causing over-fishing

Purse-seine fishing, long line fishing, fish farming in a cage, trawler fishing, drift-net fishing

How over-fishing is controlled

Individual fishing quotas and international treaties seek to control the species and quantities caught

Scale of global fishery depletion

Almost 80% of the world's fisheries are depleted or in a state of collapse

Consequence of over-fishing on ecosystems and food security

We are losing species and entire ecosystems; ocean health is under stress, risking a valuable food source many depend on socially, economically or dietarily

Over-grazing

Excessive grazing which causes damage to grassland; occurs when plants are grazed without time to recover

Effect of over-grazing on land

Reduces the usefulness, productivity and biodiversity of land, and may result in desertification

Desertification

A process in which land becomes increasingly dry until little vegetation grows, making the land like a desert

Difficulty of stopping over-grazing

Once over-grazing starts, it is difficult to stop

Cause of over-grazing on communal land

Most of Africa's cattle are grazed on communal land and are seen as an indication of wealth, leading to large numbers of cattle on small pieces of land

What is the chain of reasoning explaining why idea of most of Africa's being an indication of wealth leads to over-grazing?

Cattle = wealth → people want larger herds → communal grazing → many cattle sharing limited land → overgrazing

Cause of over-grazing by commercial farmers

Commercial farmers graze as many sheep and cattle as possible for profit, often not worrying about damage to the land; many farms are too small for their livestock numbers

Effects of over-grazing (soil & vegetation)

Grass is depleted causing soil erosion, soil becomes less fertile, and nutritious plants are replaced by less favourable plants

Effects of over-grazing (ecology & water)

The ecology of the area is disrupted, and less water infiltrates into the Earth due to reduced grass cover

Ecology

Ecology: The scientific study of how living organisms interact with each other and with their physical environment

Key chain of reduced grass cover leading to less water infiltrating the Earth.

Key Chain: Overgrazing → less grass cover → exposed & compacted soil → fewer spaces for water to enter → less infiltration → more surface runoff.

Effects of over-grazing (further consequences)

Dust storms occur, animals starve and die, and the land may be permanently changed through desertification

Food security

Exists when all people have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life at all times

What food security includes

Both physical and economic access to food

Global food distribution problem

There is enough food in the world to feed everyone adequately, but the issue is distribution

Global hunger statistics

About 850 million people are chronically hungry due to extreme poverty, and about 2 billion people lack food security from time to time

Where hunger is worst globally

The problem of hunger is worst in Africa

Food security challenge in South Africa

South Africa ranks among the countries with the highest income inequality in the world, with extremely high levels of absolute poverty

SA government priority on food security

Achieving household food security is a priority for the South African government

Local response to food insecurity in SA

Government has introduced feeding schemes in schools where learners do not have food security at home

National School Nutrition Programme aims

To foster better quality education by enhancing children's learning capacity, alleviating short-term hunger, and providing an incentive for children to attend school regularly

3 African countries in an alarming state of hunger

Democratic Republic of Congo, Chad, Eritrea

South American country with the worst hunger index

Bolivia

South Africa's hunger index rating

5.0–9.9 (Moderate)

SA province with the least proportion of hungry households

Limpopo