Resource management Flashcards
Why is food important
People need to be well fed to be productive at work and contribute to the economic development of their country
Why is water important
Essential for people and animals to drink, but is vital for crops and food supply and also as a source of power
Why is energy important
Energy is required for domestic development, energy consumption is increasing as the world becomes more developed and demands increase
How is demand for food changing
People seek greater variety, year rounded availability, healthier options, resulting in growing demand of
- exotic, high value food from abroad
- out of season produce available all year
- wider availability of organic alternatives
What does organic produce mean
it is grown without the use of artificial chemicals e.g. fertilisers, pesticides
- it has become popular although higher labour costs make it more expensive
- it is usually associated with buying local produce and producing seasonal food
How does local sourcing of food reduce its carbon footprint
- supermarkets and small shops are increasingly selling and promoting locally produced foods
- farmers sell directly from the farm to help support the rural economy
- the carbon footprint is reduced by cutting down on food miles
- farmers can often sell imperfect produce which supermarkets refuse to sell, reducing food waster
- farmers may also offer ‘pick your own’ this reduced the farmers costs of harvesting etc and reduces carbon footprint
What is agribusiness
Large commercial farms
- use high tech, modern, specialised equipment to maximise production
- use new tech and take a sustainable approach
How is demand for water changing in the UK
Demand for water is high
- Population increase
- greater use of domestic appliances
- increased use for leisure, watering
-rapid growth of house building
What parts of the UK are in water surplus and water deficit
North and West are in surplus as there is high levels of rainfall with low evaporation rates
The South and East are in deficit due to dry weather
What are water transfer schemes
schemes which attempt to match supply and demand by moving water from areas of surplus to areas of deficit
What are the strong oppositions to the water transfer scheme
- Enormous cost associated with constructing the necessary infrastructure
- Potential damage to ecosystem as water is transferred from one part of the country to another
- greenhouse gases produced when fossil fuels are used to generate the extra electricity needed to pump water over large distances
What are the main causes of water pollution
- Agricultural pollution
- Urban water pollution
- Industrial pollution
What is agricultural pollution
- Organic matter such as milk, food, crops are highly polluting to watercourses
- The bacteria already present in the water use the organic matter to multiply and at the same time remove oxygen from the water
- reducing oxygen causes fish to die
How to stop agricultural pollution
- Farmers use less chemicals and not apply near rivers
- keep animals 50m away from sources of water
- plant vegetation breaks around fields to prevent runoff
What is urban water pollution
- Detergents from washing machines and run off from houses, are the main source of water pollution in urban areas
- sustainable drainage systems are ways to reduce urban water pollution
- leaky sewages
What is industrial pollution
- Highly toxic mine water contaminated local water supplies
How is the UK’s energy changing
- from 1990 to 2020
- renewable sources such as wind and solar energy have become more important
- whereas 3/4 used to come from coal and oil, all non-renewable
What have the UK’s trends in energy changed
- Recent developments –> new development of offshore wind farms
- Reduced domestic sources of energy –> UK is no longer self sufficient, increasingly dependent on important energy
Economic and environmental issues with fossil fuels
Fracking
- causes possibilities of earthquakes
- pollution of underground water sourced
- high cost of extraction
- noise and emissions from heavy vehicles required to transport the water needed in the process
Economic impacts of nuclear power
- very expensive to build
- High costs for producing energy
- decommissioning old nuclear power plants is expensive
- provides jobs and boosts the economy
Environmental impacts of nuclear power
- Produces fewer emission than sources such as coal
- storage and processing of radioactive waste is a big problem
- Risk of radioactive leaks
Economic issues with wind farms
- High construction costs
- May reduce visitors, negatively impacting local economy
- May attract visitors
Environmental issues with wind farms
- Visual impact on landscape
- Avoid harmful emissions, reduce carbon footprint
- Noise from wind turbine
- Construction and access roads can affect the environment
