2C: The Challenge of Resource Management - Energy

Question 1

Define Resource

Answer 1

A stock or supply of something that has a value or purpose. E.g. food, water, energy

Question 2

The significance of water to economic and social well-being

Answer 2

• Clean water reduces the risk of water-borne diseases such as cholera or typhoid
• There is a risk of pollution if water supplies are unmonitored
• Water is needed to irrigate crops
• Walking long distances to collect water reduces the time available to go to work and school. This can therefore reduce development
• Safe, clean water is needed for drinking, washing and cooking

Question 3

The significance of food to economic and social well-being

Answer 3

• Prevents malnourishment
• Can provide a balanced and varied diet
• Stay healthy
• Enables people to go to school and work which therefore helps development
• Reduces the incidence of disease

Question 4

The significance of energy to economic and social well-being

Answer 4

• The use of fuel wood and kerosene in LICs can be damaging to the environment (deforestation) and people (breathing in fumes)
• Energy is needed for industry, transport and homes
• There is a risk of pollution and climate change which can have global consequences
• HICs now depend on a reliable energy supply
• Energy enables industry which therefore allows for social and economic development

Question 5

Define Physical Water Scarcity

Answer 5

There is not enough water to meet the needs of the environment, including humans, such as those required by an ecosystem to function effectively. Arid regions frequently suffer from physical water scarcity because there is not enough precipitation.

Question 6

Define Economic Water Scarcity

Answer 6

The lack of water infrastructure means that the population cannot get to an adequate water source either because they cannot afford to use it or that there is no access to it.

Question 7

Why does the U.K. import so much food?

Answer 7

• U.K. climate unsuitable for production of some foods such as cocoa, tea and bananas
• Availability of cheaper food abroad imported by supermarkets who compete for low prices cheaper to transport food using modern technology
• Demand for seasonal produce all year round such as strawberries and apples
• Demand for more high value goods such as avocados, blueberries and maple syrup
• Demand for greater choice and more exotic foods like spices/recipes from certain countries
• U.K. produced food can be expensive because of poor harvest and the price of animal feed/fertilisers and wages

Question 8

Why does the U.K. import so much food?

Answer 8

• U.K. climate unsuitable for production of some foods such as cocoa, tea and bananas
• Availability of cheaper food abroad imported by supermarkets who compete for low prices cheaper to transport food using modern technology
• Demand for seasonal produce all year round such as strawberries and apples
• Demand for more high value goods such as avocados, blueberries and maple syrup
• Demand for greater choice and more exotic foods like spices/recipes from certain countries
• U.K. produced food can be expensive because of poor harvest and the price of animal feed/fertilisers and wages

Question 9

Define Food Miles

Answer 9

The distance covered supplying food to the consumer

Question 10

Define carbon footprint

Answer 10

Measurement of greenhouse gases individuals produce, burning fossil fuels

Question 11

Define food surplus

Answer 11

When you have more food than you need

Question 12

Define food deficit

Answer 12

When you have too little food for your needs

Question 13

Define food insecurity

Answer 13

Being without reliable access to enough affordable, nutritious food

Question 14

Positive impacts of importing food

Answer 14

• The government will be paid more taxes. These can fund infrastructure developments
• Jobs create wages for local people which can help them increase their quality of life
• Jobs are created in farming, packing and transport

Question 15

Negative impacts of importing food

Answer 15

• People can be expoed to chemicals such as pesticides due to less regulations
• TNCs may take most of the profits out of the host country, therefore reducing the potential monetary benefits
• Less land is available for locals to grow food to eat
• Workers may not have healthcare provisions and therefore doing difficult work may cause health problems
• Often crops need huge amounts of water in areas of water scarcity

Question 16

Way of reducing carbon footprints in the U.K. - Reducing imported foods

Answer 16

There is a concern about the U.K.s dependency of foreign food imports. As a result people are being encouraged to:
- Eat seasonal products
- Eat local produce which reduces the amount of food miles that food has travelled. This also supports local farms and there is a growth of farm shops e.g. Keelham
- Growing food at home or on an allotment
- Limiting the imported foods that we cannot grow in the U.K. and limiting those that are transported by air. The Red Tractor label assures customers that the source of food is British and has been inspected for safety welfare and environmental standards

Question 17

Ways of reducing carbon footprints in the UK - Agribusiness

Answer 17

Agribusiness is large scale, industrial farming where all processes are controlled by larger firms
- Farm sizes have increased - smaller farms have been taken over and field sizes have increased so that food can be produced more cheaply
- The amount of chemicals used in food production has been increasing - this is to encourage growth
- The number of workers in agriculture fell to just over 1.1% of the UK’s total employment in 2017. This is partly because of the greater use of machinery