The challenge of resource management (uk focus on energy,water,food) Flashcards
What has caused an increase in demand for the UK’s food?
increase in population
How much of the UK’s food was imported in 2013?
47%
Why is there a demand for high value food exports?
it can be cheaper to grow in LIC and transport
How do LICs benefit from high value food exports?
- income
- tax ; better infrastructure
How do LICs lose out from high value food exports?
- less land for local crop
- increased pressure on local supplies
Why is there an all year demand for seasonal food?
introduction of supermarkets and exotic products in them
Why is there demand for organic produce?
seen as healthy
What does organic mean?
no unnatural enhancements like fertilisers or pesticides used in production
When did the demand for organic produce begin?
1990s
Why is organic produce more expensive?
lower yields
How are crops grown organically?
- natural predators
- natural fertilisers
- rotated to increase fertility
How is cattle grown organically?
not fed hormones
How much does food travel in the UK per year?
30 billion kilometres
How much does food contribute to UK carbon footprint?
17%
How much does imported food contribute to UK carbon footprint?
11%
How does local sourcing reduce carbon emissions?
- eating seasonal
- home grown
- local farmer’s
- only importing foods unable to grow in UK
How many people home grow their own fruit and veg?
1/3 of population
What is agribusiness?
farming like an industrial business
How does agribusiness increase farm size?
- remove hedgerows
- increase mechanisation
- increase use of chemicals
- combine small farms
How has demand for water changed?
increased
How much has water use in average household increased by?
70% since 1985
Why has demand for water increased in homes?
- increased population
- increased wealth
- showers taken each week
Why has demand for water increased in industry?
- greenhouses
- production increase
- leisure use
Give an example of how wealth has caused an increase in demand for water
using washing machines and dishwashers
Give an example of how leisure has caused an increase in demand for water
golf course needs watering
Where are the areas of water deficit in the UK?
east of UK
Why does the east of the UK have water deficit?
least rainfall and higher population densities
Where are there areas of water surplus in the UK?
west of UK
Why does the west of the UK have water surplus?
most rainfall and lower population densities
How much of UK population live in south east?
1/3
Where is the driest part of the UK?
south east
Why is there a need to transfer water to maintain supplies?
to match where supplies and demand of water are
What has the UK gov considered to transfer water?
national water grid
What are the economic concerns of a national water grid?
enormous cost to install
What are the social concerns of a national water grid?
local communities would be displaced
What are the environmental concerns of a national water grid?
- may disrupt ecology and block migration
- increased carbon emissions
Where do smaller scale water transfers occur?
Kielder Dam in Northumberland pumps water into North Tyne river to supply Newcastle, Sunderland and Middlesborough
Which agency manages water quality in the UK?
Environment Agency
How clean is water supply in the UK?
best since before Industrial Revolution
How much of water is classified as ‘good status’ by EU Water Framework Directive?
only 27%
What causes water pollution in the UK?
- chemicals from farming
- oil from boats
- untreated waste
- runoff from roads
- hot water from industry
What runoff from roads causes water pollution in the UK?
- exhaust fumes
- oil
- heavy metals
- grit/salt
How does water pollution affect the UK?
- aquatic wildlife killed
- eutrophication
- drinking water poisoned
- microbacteria spread disease
- fishermen and tourist industry suffer economically
How are water quality and pollution levels managed?
- legislation in UK and EU
- education campaigns
- waste water treatment plants
- investment in sewers
- pollution traps
- green rooves on buildings
How does legislation manage water quality and pollution levels?
limit amount of discharge farms and factories can release
How does education campaigns manage water quality and pollution levels?
inform public
How do waste water treatment plants manage water quality and pollution levels?
removes solids, bacteria, algae and chemicals
How does investment in sewers manage water quality and pollution levels?
reduces overflow of sewers and spills
How do pollution traps manage water quality and pollution levels?
filters out pollutants
Give examples of pollution traps
reed beds
How do green rooves manage water quality and pollution levels?
- filter pollutants out of rainwater
- reduce flooding
- absorb CO2
How has the UK’s demand for energy changed?
less energy consumed than in 1970
How much less energy does average household use?
12% less
How much less energy does heavy industry use?
60% less
What is the UK’s energy mix?
- non renewable
- nuclear
- renewable
How much of UK’s energy mix was coal in 2015?
31%
How much of the UK’s energy mix was gas in 2015?
25%
How much of UK’s energy mix was nuclear in 2015?
19%
How much of UK’s energy mix was renewable in 2015?
22%
What does the UK rely on for supply of fossil fuels?
imports
Why does the UK rely on imports of fossil fuels?
reserves have declined
Give examples of fossil fuels
coal
oil
gas
What are the economic issues surrounding fossil fuels?
- unsustainable ; eventually cost will be too high or they will run out
- miners suffer diseases ; healthcare cost
- costly to adapt to climate change
What are the economic issues surrounding nuclear energy?
- expensive to build
- transport and storage costly
What are the environmental issues surrounding fossil fuels?
- co2 released
- oil spills
- visual pollution
- fracking causes earthquakes and water pollution
What are the environmental issues surrounding fossil fuels?
- waste remains radioactive
- risk of leakage
What are the economic issues surrounding renewable energy?
- set up is high cost
- tourism declines
- low profitability
- biomass - increase food price as less land for crops
What are the environmental issues surrounding renewable energy?
- eyesores
- affect migration (wind,hydro)
- biomass reduces biodiversity
- geothermal energy only available to USA and Iceland as tectonically active
Define food miles
distance food has travelled to get to consumer
Define carbon footprint
measure of human impact on environment in terms of greenhouse gases produced
What are the advantages of organic food?
- health benefits
- safer for animals and wildlife
What are the health benefits of organic food?
- vitamin C
- oxidants
- trace minerals
What are the disadvantages of organic food?`
- expensive
- unreliable
- labour intensive
- imperfect
What are the advantages of local produce?
- reduces pollution
- reduces traffic congestion
- supports communities
What are the disadvantages of local produce?
- disproportionate buyer power
- farmers have to match supermarket prices
How does local produce lead to disproportionate buyer power?
supermarkets have 85% share of food
Why has agribusiness become more common?
- cheaper
- extended seasons
- reduces imports
- reduces food miles and pollution
- creates perfect product
What are the benefits of importing food?
- cheaper
- year round access
- boosts economy (shopping)
What are the issues with importing food?
- boosting other countries’ economies
- food miles and pollution
- local farmers can’t compete
What does water supply mean?
provision of water
What does water consumption/demand mean?
quantity required to meet needs
What does water deficit mean?
water demand higher than supply
What does water surplus mean?
water supply higher than demand
What does water stress mean?
water demand exceeds supply
What are the two Qs of water?
quality
quantity
What does energy mix mean?
range of energy sources
What does fossil fuels mean?
natural fuel formed in geological past from remains of organisms
What does domestic energy mean?
energy generated within country
What are the economic opportunities of fossil fuels?
- jobs
- multiplier effect
What are the economic opportunities of nuclear energy?
- jobs
- multiplier effect
What are the environmental opportunities of fossil fuels?
- carbon storage is more efficient
What are the environmental opportunities of nuclear energy?
- less polluting then fossil fuels
What are the economic opportunities of renewable energy?
- jobs
- multiplier effect
What are the environmental opportunities of renewable energy?
- lower co2 emissions
- off shore wind turbines act as artificial reef
- land for turbines can be used for farming
Define global inequality
differences across countries
Define resource supply
providing items to satisfy human needs
Define resource consumption
use of natural resources
Why has global demand increased?
- population growth
- economic development
- product development
How does food affect well being?
- health
- productivity
How does energy affect well being?
- hygiene
- industrial development
How does water affect well being?
- health + hygiene
- productivity
- saves time - education
What are the economic challenges of fossil fuels?
expensive mining
imports
expensive clean up
remote areas
expensive exploration
What are the environmental challenges of fossil fuels?
acid rain
climate change
visual pollution
destroys habitats
take up space
What are economic challenges of nuclear energy?
costs of construction
What are the environmental challenges of nuclear energy?
contamination
long term detrimental effects
What are the economic challenges of renewable energy?
high set up costs
low profitability
impact tourism
What are the environmental challenges of renewable energy?
bird migration patterns
impact on current
disturb locals
Which energy source poses the greatest economic challenge?
fossil fuels
- mining
- importing
- disease
- climate change
Which energy source poses the greatest environmental challenge?
nuclear
- uninhabitable areas
Which energy source create the greatest economic opportunity?
all create jobs
- renewable needs research
- fossil fuels needs research
Which energy source creates greatest environmental opportunity?
renewable
- infinite
- no emissions
- wind turbines - little ground taken up
What are the economic opportunities for fracking?
jobs created
multiplier effect
reliable source
What are the environmental opportunities for fracking?
reduced pollution
less emissions
What are the economic challenges for fracking?
health impacts - water pollution, toxic chemicals
What are the environmental challenges for fracking?
waste water
greenhouse gases - methane
noise produced
habitat loss
