Rural Environments 5.8 Sustainable Rural Living

Question 1

the environmental aspect of sustainable rural living

Answer 1

makes use of the environment and its resources, but does little to damage them

Question 2

the economic aspect of sustainable rural living (2)

Answer 2

• what is needed are economic activities that support the local population and contribute to the regional or national economy
• for example by subsistence farming or commercially by contributing products or services to the regional or national economy

Question 3

the social aspect of sustainable rural living (2)

Answer 3

• a form of rural living which offers a good quality of life for everyone
• important aspects are physical services such as clean water and sanitation, as well as education and health care

Question 4

what does sustainable rural living need in general?

Answer 4

a viable economy with a small carbon footprint and ecological footprint

Question 5

what can a country like china do to make its rural areas more sustainable? (3)

Answer 5

• increase the productivity of its agriculture in an environmentally-friendly way
• retain labour in the countryside to work on the farms
• raise the quality of rural life

Question 6

what are some possible ways of increasing food production in a rural environment? (9)

Answer 6

• extending the farmed area
• enlarging the farm holdings
• improving irrigation
• setting up crop rotation
• increasing use of fertilisers
• increasing use of pesticides and herbicides
• increasing mechanisation
• improving plant and animal breeding
• growing GM crops