Consequences and responses

Question 1

Give some examples of how higher incomes have changed consumer patterns

Answer 1

• In the last 50 years, global meat consumption has quadrupled (environmental and health costs)
• Coffee production has doubled since 1960 but an estimated 25 million growers are in extreme price volatility
• 270 million tonnes of plastic produced in 2013 alone

Question 2

Define ‘sustainability’

Answer 2

Meeting the needs of those present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

Question 3

Define ‘economic sustainability’

Answer 3

Individuals and communities should have access to a reliable income over time

Question 4

Define ‘social sustainability’

Answer 4

All individuals should enjoy a reasonable quality of life

Question 5

Define ‘environmental sustainability’

Answer 5

No lasting damage should be done to the environment, renewable resources must be managed in ways that guarantee continued use

Question 6

Goods once sourced locally are now (1), negative effects of consumption are often (2) and consumers don’t always know the (3) e.g. (4) of cotton farmers

Answer 6

1 - imported
2 - away from the place consumers live
3 - full footprint of products
4 - pesticide exposure

Question 7

Some groups promote (1) as a response to globalisation with the aim of (2). Localism describes a range of (3) to support local control of (4) and promotion of local (5)

Answer 7

1 - local sourcing 
2 - increasing sustainability 
3 - political philosophies that prioritise local 
4 - government 
5 - history, culture and identity

Question 8

Give three costs of local sourcing on consumers, producers and environment

Answer 8

C - Local sourcing more expensive
P - Lack of economic development for places such as Ivory Coast
E - Heated greenhouses in UK have larger carbon footprint than imported Spanish tomatoes

Question 9

Give three benefits of local sourcing on consumers, producers and environment

Answer 9

C - Organic farming methods have health benefits
P - UK farmers have moved up the value chain by manufacturing locally sourced items
E - 1992 Rio summit ‘Think global, act local’ to reduce carbon footprint

Question 10

Describe the case study of the Winchester Action on Climate Change (WinACC)

Answer 10

• local group aim to mitigate the negative effects of society
• save energy in local homes
• local council to support the emerging low carbon economy
• discussions to reduce carbon footprint

Question 11

Give an example of a local sourcing solution that aims to reduce carbon footprints

Answer 11

A carbon tax

Question 12

Describe the case study of Todmorden

Answer 12

• Transition town in the South Pennines
• Food on sale is grown locally
• Received National Lottery funding to create 40 public fruit and veg gardens

Question 13

What is ethical consumption and positive buying?

Answer 13

Deliberately choosing a purchase because of the product’s ethical nature

Question 14

What is the aim of ethical buying?

Answer 14

Reduce inequalities of global trade and improve the working conditions for disadvantaged groups

Question 15

How does Ethical Consumer magazine promote positive buying?

Answer 15

Ratings tables for different products and services based on ethical criteria such as animal rights, human rights and pollution

Question 16

Describe the fair trade system case study

Answer 16

• seek greater equity in international trade
• social, economic and environmental standards
• offer rural families a stable income and protect their rights
• progress towards living wage benchmarks

Question 17

Describe the Keep Britain Tidy case study

Answer 17

• 1954 organisation formed by WI to address rising litter problem
• 1969 tidyman logo to reduce litter and manage waste in environmentally friendly ways

Question 18

Describe supply chain monitoring

Answer 18

• accept the need for corporate social responsibility

- TNCs have thousands of suppliers increasing the risk of branded products being linked to worker exploitation

Question 19

What did the Charity War on Want do?

Answer 19

Flew in a woman who was a fruit picker for Tesco to a shareholder meeting where she said there were no toilets for female workers so Tesco told the farm they would use a different farm unless conditions improved

Question 20

Describe traidcraft in Kenya

Answer 20

• potential to increase exports through agricultural produce
• over 60% of the population live on less than $2 a day
• average annual income over $350

Question 21

What are the aims of traidcraft in Kenya?

Answer 21

• help local businesses develop capacities
• promote ethical trade policies
• assist businesses improve their skills

Question 22

What are the aims of traidcraft?

Answer 22

• break down barriers to prevent producers in poor countries
• provide training, consultancy and internet services
• advocate changes to work in favour of the poor
• raise awareness of fair trade in the UK

Question 23

Why is present trading working against the poor?

Answer 23

• goods not always freely traded
• LEDCs don’t have as much subsidies as UK and USA
• surplus suppliers to sell to other countries

Question 24

How is Senegal agricultural production affected by world trading patterns?

Answer 24

• Need better storage facilities to compete with MEDC suppliers
• IMF and World Bank dropped subsidies on Senegalese fertilisers so farmers are earning less
• EU allowing foreigners to fish along Senegalese coast in return for debt

Question 25

In 2014, (1) tonnes of e-waste was discarded and made up a line (2) miles long, less than (3) was properly recycled. Per capita (4) had the largest e-waste whereas (5) had the lowest.

Answer 25

1 - 41.8 million 
2 - 14,300
3 - one-sixth 
4 - Norway 
5 - Africa

Question 26

Waste that could have been recovered and recycled was worth (1) including (2) tonnes of gold which is equal to (3)% of the world’s gold production in 2013

Answer 26

1 - $52 billion
2 - 300
3 - 11

Question 27

Name four global insecurities

Answer 27

Food, Water, Energy and Climate

Question 28

What is the cause and symptom of the food insecurity?

Answer 28

Cause - By 2050 food demand is likely to double worldwide 
Symptom - Middle class diets are characterised by consumption of meat and dairy and have a larger ecological footprint

Question 29

What is the cause and symptom of the water insecurity?

Answer 29

Cause - Food production depletes water supplies
Symptom - As societies develop economically and urbanise, everyday household water increases significantly. Popular global commodities e.g. choc, coffee and wine have a high water footprint

Question 30

What is the cause and symptom of the energy insecurity?

Answer 30

Cause - By 2035, it is predicted energy use will increase 50%
Symptom - Extraction of fossil fuels is environmentally damaging

Question 31

What is the cause and symptom of the climate insecurity?

Answer 31

Cause - Adoption of manufactured items increase average carbon footprint
Symptom - In 2013, carbon dioxide reached 400 parts per million