Resources and Sustainable Development Flashcards
- ore
- aluminum, steel, copper, gold, molybdenum
- sand, gravel, limestone, phosphate
- petroleum, coal, natural gas
non-renewable resources
extracting non-renewable resources
-removes shallow deposits overburden (waste), deposited into spoils (piles of waste)
surface mining
extracting non-renewable resources
-extracting deposits in horizontal beds close to the earth’s surface
strip mining
oil and natural gas trapped between compressed layers of shale rock formations
hydrofracking
requires enormous volumes of water, produces hazardous waste water, drilling can cause mini earthquakes , can release hazardous waste water
environmental effects of hydrofracking
the splitting apart of nuclei that releases energy- each fission releases neutrons which cause more chain reactions
nuclear fission
- low net energy yield
- high cost
- fear of accidents
- long-lived radioactive waste
- role in spread of nuclear weapon technology
concerns tied to nuclear power
mining low grade ores causes…
- increased cost and energy
- availability to freshwater
- environmental impact of land disruption
ways to extract more efficiently
solar power
-convert solar energy to electric energy
photovoltaic (PV) cells
how do PV cells work
sunlight hits cells and produces the flow of electrons
the method of vegetation control on a solar site using grazing livestock
solar grazing
how does wind power work?
- kinetic energy is captured by wind turbines
- tall, long, blade turbines can extract more energy from the wind
pros of wind energy
- the wind is abundant, widely distributed, and inexhaustible
- mostly carbon and pollution free
- high net energy field
cons of wind energy
- backup power source may be needed
- can kill bats and birds
plant materials and agriculture waste that can be burned for fuel, can be used in solid and liquid forms
energy from biomass
