Resource management Flashcards
What is a resource
Is a stock or supply of something that has a value or a purpose
How are resources distributed in the world
They are distributed unevenly distributed across the world.
What is undernutrition
a poorly-balanced diet lacking in minerals and vitamins resulting in a range of illnesses and diseases
What do people need to be in order to be productive
They need to contribute the economic development of their country
What is water essential for
It is for drinking as well as being vital for crops and food supply.
What happens as the world population grows
More people are faced with shortages of water
What is the imbalance of water supply due to
Variations in climate and rainfall as the rainfall needs to be captured and stored in reservoirs or taken from rivers and aquifers.
what is water used for and types of water scarcity
Water scarcity is increasing due to economic water scarcity (countries that can’t afford to exploit water supplies)
Physical water scarcity (lack of water)
Low/middle income countries use a higher proportion of water for agriculture compared to high-income countries where most water is used for industry.
What is energy needed for
Energy is needed for economic development as it powers factories and machinery.
How is energy consumption changing in the world (rich compared to small)
As it becomes more developed demand increases. The world’s richest countries use much more energy than the world’s smallest country.
Provision of food in the UK
The UK’s population is increasing increasing the future demand for food. The UK is not self sufficient for food supplies. It has rising imports for food.
What is the impact of importing foods
Transporting food by air is very expensive. It also contributes to our carbon footprint - emission of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
Costs of importing foods (kenyan farmers)
Kenyan farmers only earn a fraction of the price sold. Two-thirds are casual labourers with no job security or benefits are paid very little.
UK response to these challenges
Increasing in sourcing food locally to reduce carbon emissions.
Agribusiness - intensive farming aimed at maximising the amount of food produced. Farms are run as commercial businesses. They have high levels of investment and use modern technology and chemicals.
Organic produce - grown without the use of chemicals. Organic food production is often associated with buying local produce.
Lynford House Farm
Large arable farm of 570 hectares. An agribusiness it has high inputs of chemicals, machinery and other investments.
.Flat, fertile land is intensively farmed to maximise productivity and profitability
.Main crops are wheat, sugar beet and potatoes which are well suited to the fertile soils and a warm, sunny climate
Riverford Organic Farms
Riverford Organic Farms supplies local people with fresh boxes of food delivered weekly. Company now delivers boxes of vegetables around the UK.
. Reduce food miles
. Support local farmers
Demand for water in the UK and how it’s changing
Almost 50 % of the UK’s water supply is used domestically. But 21% is wasted through leakage. Demand for water in the UK is increasing due to:
growing population
More houses being built
An increase in the use of water intensive domestic appliances
What are the main sources of water in the UK
They are from rivers, reservoirs and groundwater aquifers.
.The north and west of the UK has a water surplus where supply exceeds demand. High rainfall, lower evaporation rates and plenty of potential reservoir sites.
.The south and east of the country has a water deficit. The most densely populated part of the country and has the lowest annual rainfall.
What is water stress
Water stress is experienced by more than half of England.
Techniques to save water
The use of domestic water meters
Increasing the use of recycled water
More efficient domestic appliances
Waste water from people’s homes can be recycled and put to good use. Used for irrigation.
Water transfer
2006 UK government proposed to establish a water grid to transfer water from areas of surplus to deficit. Enormous cost stopped it from happening. Growing need to transfer water to meet demand.
Opposition to water transfer
. Effect on the land and wildlife - river habitats would need to be protected
. High costs involved
. The greenhouse gases released in the process of pumping water over long distances
Managing water quality
Just as important as water quantity. much has been done to improve the quality of water.
How is water quality being managed in the UK
. Monitoring the quality of river water
. Filtering water to remove sediment
. Purifying water by adding chlorine
. Imposing struct regulations on the uses of water
Why has some groundwater sources deteriorated as a result of pollution
. Leaching from old underground mine workings
. Discharge from industrial sites
. Runoff from chemical fertilisers used on farmland
What is happening to demand for electricity in the UK
Demand for energy in the UK is increasing however, consumption has fallen due to decline of heavy industry and improved energy conservation.
Low-energy appliances, better building insulation and more fuel efficient cars have resulted in a 60% fall in energy usage in industry and a 12% fall in domestic energy use.
How has the UK’s energy mix changed
2020 the UK aims to meet 20 percent of its energy requirement from renewable sources. 2015 the government decided to phase out subsidies for renewable energy.