The Challenge Of Resource Management Flashcards
Resource
A stock or supply of something that has a value or purpose.
Resource management
The control and monitoring of resources so they don’t become depleted or exhausted.
Surplus
When there is more of a resource than is needed to meet demand.
Deficit
When there is not enough of a resource to meet demand.
What is the significance of FOOD to economic and social well being?
- Calories provide energy.
- Malnourishment leads to disease and death. In children it can lead to underperforming at school + in adults they will be less productive at work which decreases economic well being.
- Globally over 1 billion people are malnourished (not enough calories) and 2 billion are undernourished (poor diet).
- Obesity is and issue in some areas, mainly HICs.
What is the significance of WATER to economic and social well being?
- Source of energy for people, plants, factories, power.
- Clean, safe water enables development + allows people to break free from the cycle of poverty.
- Globally 2 billion people drink from contaminated water sources.
- Over 500,000 people per year die due to diarrhoeal diseases linked to contaminated water supplies.
What is the significance of ENERGY to economic and social well being?
- Traditionally we get energy from oil, coal + wood.
- Used for electricity production, heating, transport + water supply.
- Supports industrialisation + development.
- Used a lot by HICs + used increasingly more by NEEs.
Global inequalities in the supply and consumption of FOOD
- Average calorie consumption is 3200 calories per person per day in the UK, but 2590 in Mali.
- Areas of greatest population growth have highest levels of undernourishment.
- Demand depends on changing diets + increasing population.
- Supply depends on climate, soil + level of technology.
Global inequalities in the supply and consumption of WATER
- Fresh water is unequally distributed.
- The average amount of water used per day is 2483 litres in the USA, but 896 litres in Bangladesh.
- Water scarcity can be physical (little rainfall) or economic (can’t afford access to water)
- 1 in 5 people live in areas of water scarcity.
Global inequalities in the supply and consumption of ENERGY
- The richest 13% of people globally use 50% of the world’s energy, whereas the poorest 13% of people globally use 4% of the world’s energy.
- Countries import + export energy.
- Some countries don’t have their own sources of energy.
Agribusiness
A farm run as a business with the main aim being profit.
Carbon footprint
A measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce.
Food miles
The distance covered supplying food to consumers.
Organic farming
Farming which does not include the use of chemicals (e.g. pesticides and fertilisers).
- natural predators for pest control (e.g. ladybirds)
- natural fertilisers (e.g. animal slurry)
- mechanical weeding
- animals farmed without use of drugs
The changing demand for food in the UK:
Growing demand for high value food exports from LICs and all year demands for seasonal and organic produce.
- Foods used to be seasonally and locally sourced. Now we eat globally sourced foods all year.
- Consumers in the UK want out-of-season and exotic foods available all year round.
- In 2013, 47% of UK food was imported.
- High quality products are 5 times the price of similar products.
- Positive impacts - jobs + wages for those in LICs, more tax income leads to a better quality of life.
- Negative impacts - less land for locals to farm for themselves, high water use + exposure to chemicals (pesticides + fertilisers).
- Since 1990s there has been an increase in demand for organically farmed foods. Now worth £2 billion a year in the UK.
The changing demand for food in the UK:
Larger carbon footprints due to the increased number of food miles travelled.
- Foods can be grown cheaply elsewhere.
- Production + transport create a carbon footprint.
- 17% of UK’s carbon footprint is due to food.
- Annual food miles travelled by UK food imports is 18.8 billion miles.
- However, carbon footprints from growing food in the UK where greenhouses would have to be heated can be bigger than that created by the food miles of imported food.
- UK now encouraging buying local and having an allotment.
The changing demand for food in the UK:
A trend towards agribusiness.
- Agribusinesses have significant impacts on the environment as they are associated with heavy use of pesticides + fertilisers, leading to reduction in wildlife + eutrophication.
- East Anglia has lots of agribusinesses.
How can the UK reduce its carbon emissions and reliance on food imports?
Buy seasonal UK produce
+Little environmental implications.
+UK less reliant on imports.
+Seasonally appropriate food tastes better.
- Less choice.
- Yields not great so more expensive.
How can the UK reduce its carbon emissions and reliance on food imports?
Limit UK food imports
+Some choice.
+Less transport needed.
+Red Tractor Scheme labels the origins of the food.
- Less choice.
- UK crops likely to become monocultures, threatened by disease.
How can the UK reduce its carbon emissions and reliance on food imports?
Eat locally produced food
+Contributes to local economy.
+Reduces food miles.
+Good for the soil.
- Less choice.
- Lower yields so more expensive
How can the UK reduce its carbon emissions and reliance on food imports?
Subsistence farming
+Practically no CO2 emissions released.
+Self-sufficient.
+Mental health benefits + physical exercise.
- Would take time + land.
- Labour intensive.
- Lower yield.
Methods to increase farm size for agribusinesses:
Combining smaller family farms.
+More space to grow more crops—>greater yield—>more profit.
-Hedgerows separating the farms must be removed—>loss of animal habitats.
Methods to increase farm size for agribusinesses:
Removing hedgerows.
+Creates larger fields to accommodate large machinery.
+Farmers save money as they don’t have the costs of upkeep on hedges.
-Loss of animal habitats and shelter belts (to protect crops from fierce weather).
Methods to increase farm size for agribusinesses:
Using modern production methods (e.g. aeroponics + hydroponics).
+Little space is required.
+Crops can be easily maintained.
- Very expensive.
- Relies on specialist knowledge of the exact nutrient mix for the plants.
