Unit 2C- resource management

Question 1

Why is food needed?

Answer 1

• If people can’t access enough food, they don’t eat enough of each nutrient, which can cause malnourishment
• Malnourishment can lead to illnesses and lack of development in a child

Question 2

Why is water needed?

Answer 2

• Needed for drinking, cooking and washing
• Without proper sanitation, there’s sewage pollution and water-borne diseases
• Water is needed to grow food

Question 3

Why is energy needed?

Answer 3

• To power industry, transport and homes
• To produce electricity, which HICs depend on
• Electricity can be used to power water pumps, as well as preventing the need for deforestation and other methods for energy

Question 4

How is resource consumption unequal?

Answer 4

• In HICs, consumption is greater as they can afford to buy resources, as well as rely on them for their standard of living
• In NEEs, consumption is rapidly increasing due to increasing population, wealth and industries.
• In LICs, consumption is lower as they cannot afford to exploit resources they have, or import resources from abroad

Question 5

What foods are becoming more popular?

Answer 5

• Due to people having greater disposable income, certain foods are becoming more popular and are expected to be on the shelves:
• High-value foods
• Seasonal products
• Organic produce

Question 6

How is our carbon footprint changing?

Answer 6

• Growing, processing and packaging of food produces 10% of UK’s CO2 emissions
• Transporting produce releases high levels of emissions, especially as more and more of our food is not local
• However, more people are becoming aware of issues, so are adopting to buy more organic and locally produced foods

Question 7

How is farming changing?

Answer 7

• Growth in agribusiness, which is large-scale, industrial farming:
• Field sizes increased
• Chemicals and fertilisers used increased
• Number of employees decreased

Question 8

How does water demand vary across the UK?

Answer 8

• Water surplus in North and West as there is high levels of rainfall and less people
• Water deficit in South and East as there is less rainfall and a high population density
• Demand is increasing as more appliances are using more water, as well as increasing population (densities)

Question 9

What is the issue with water pollution?

Answer 9

• Polluted water reduces the amount available to use, so puts pressure on resources
• Pollution may be due to eutrophication, pollutants in air and oil spills
• It’s expensive to treat water, but strategies such as improving drainage systems is helping to improve quality

Question 10

How can water transfers manage supplies?

Answer 10

• A solution to the supply and demand problem is to transfer water from areas of surplus to areas of deficit
• Issues may be that dams and aqueducts are expensive, as well as them often damaging wildlife and habitats

Question 11

How has UK energy mix changed?

Answer 11

• Gone from relying on coal and oil to an increase in gas after reserves were found in the North Sea
• Increase in renewables such as wind and bio as they are better for the environment and more infinite

Question 12

What is happening to the UK fossil fuel supply?

Answer 12

• Supplies of coal, oil and gas are slowly depleting, so we must turn our efforts to renewable and sustainable solutions

Question 13

What are some economic issues of exploiting energy?

Answer 13

• Extracting fossil fuels can be very expensive
• Consumers must pay a lot to access nuclear and renewable energy
• UK must import energy, which is expensive

Question 14

What are some environmental issues of exploiting energy?

Answer 14

• Greenhouse gases released
• Natural ecosystems can be damaged through creation of things such as hydro-electric dams
• Power stations and wind-farms may be deemed as eyesores