Download Chapter 14: Resources

Chapter 14: Resources
Why are resources being depleted?

Two kinds of natural
resources are especially
valuable to humans
– Minerals
– Energy resources

We depend on
abundant, low-cost
energy and minerals to
run our industries,
transport ourselves, and
keep our homes
comfortable

Problem
– MDCs want to preserve
current standards of living
while LDCs are struggling
to attain a better standard
Energy Resources

Historically people have
relied primarily on power
supplied by themselves
or by animals
– Called animate power

Energy from flowing
water and burning
biomass fuel
supplemented animate
power
– Biomass =

Wood, plant material, and
animal waste

During the Industrial
Revolution, MDCs
converted to inanimate
power
– Generated from machines
Energy Resources


MDCs consume 3x the
amount of energy that
LDCs do
North Americans are the
heaviest per capita
consumers of energy

Three substances provide
5/6ths of the world’s energy
– Coal
– Petroleum
– Natural gas

All three are fossil fuels
– Residue of plants and
animals that were buried
millions of years ago
– Use ¼ world’s energy
– Have 1/12 world’s
population

Two causes for concern
– Supply is finite
– Distributed unevenly
Fossil Fuels

Renewable energy

– Essentially unlimited
supply and is not depleted


Hydroelectric,
geothermal, fusion, wind,
and solar energy
Non-renewable energy
– Forms so slowly that it
cannot be renewed

Fossil fuels
Proven Reserves
– Amount of energy
remaining in deposits of
fossil fuels

Potential Reserves
– Energy in deposits that
are undiscovered but
thought to exist



Undiscovered oil fields
Enhanced recovery from
current fields
Unconventional
resources
– Shale, oil sands
Uneven Distribution of
Fossil Fuels

Two important
inequalities in global
distribution of fossil fuels

– Coal

– Some regions have
abundant sources, others
do not
– The heaviest consumers
are in different regions
that most of the reserves

Leads to global instability
Uneven distribution

China- 39%
U.S.- 16%
– Petroleum


Southwest Asia- 40%
Central Asia- 15%
– Natural gas


Russia- 25%
Consumption
– U.S. imports more than ½
of their petroleum

Japan 90%
– LDC’s quickly “catching up”
Control of World Petroleum


Most intense conflict over
energy will be centered
on supply of petroleum
OPEC
– OPEC was angry at North
America and Europe for
supporting Israel (1970s)
– At 1st western countries set
oil prices and paid
southwest Asian countries
a small % of oil profits
– Government policies
changed in 1970s in SW
Asian countries
– Several LDC countries
containing petroleum
resources created OPEC in
1960
– Caused severe economic
problems in MDCs
– LDCS hurt even more!



Led to embargo
Lifted in 1974, but raised prices
Changing Supply and
Demand
– The price of oil settled by
1980s, 1990s
– U.S. reduced its dependency
on foreign imports
Mineral Resources

Earth has 92 elements BUT
99% of the crust contains just
8 elements

Minerals are either
– Metallic

– Oxygen, silicon, aluminum,
iron, calcium, sodium,
potassium, and magnesium
– Non-metallic




8 most common combine with
rare ones to create 3,000
different minerals
Each mineral is a potential
resource
Have properties that are
valuable for machinery, vehicles,
industry

90% are building stones
Also used for fertilizer
Examples
– Phosphorus, Potassium,
Calcium, Sulfur

Mineral deposits are not
distributed evenly
– Australia and China rank has
two leading producers
Key Issue #2- Why Are
Resources Being Polluted?


Pollution occurs when
more waste is added
than a resource can
accommodate
Types of pollution:
– Air
– Water
– Land
Air Pollution

Definition:

– Concentration of trace
substances at a greater level
than occurs in average air


Earth’s atmosphere (at ground
level) is 78% Nitrogen, 21%
Oxygen, 1% Argon
Most common human
activities that cause pollution
– Motor vehicles, industry, and
power plants
Most common air pollutants
– Carbon monoxide, Sulfur
dioxide

Air pollution concerns
geographers at three levels
– Global
– Regional
– local
Air Pollution

Global

– Global warming

– At regional scale, air
pollution may damage
vegetation and water
supply through acid
deposition
Pollution may be causing
Earth’s temperature to rise
– Greenhouse effect


Anticipated temp increase on
Earth caused by carbon dioxide
trapping some of the radiation
emitted by the surface
Can have devastating
consequences, even if only a
few degrees
– Global-scale ozone damage


Stratosphere contains ozone
gases
Regional



Definition: tiny droplets of
sulfuric acid and nitric acid
form and return to Earth’s
surface
Leads to acid precipitation
Local
– Urban air pollution

– Absorbs dangerous UV rays

Threatened by pollutants called
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Carbon monoxide
Hydrocarbons
particulates
Water Pollution

American’s consume
5,300 liters (1,400
gallons) of water per
day

Wastewater and Disease
– Most MDC’s have passed
Clean Water laws
– Major impact


Water Pollution Sources
– Water-using industries
– Municipal sewage
– Agriculture

Impact on Aquatic Life
– Pollution reduces Oxygen
level
Ex. Thames River- London,
England
– LDCs have less capacity to
treat wastewater


Sewage flows into rivers
Leads to high rates of
diseases such as Cholera,
Typhoid, and Dysentery
Land Pollution

Solid-Waste Disposal
– The sanitary landfill is most
common strategy for
disposal of waste in the
United States


More than ½ of waste
disposed this way
Number of landfills has
declined since 1990s
– Better compaction
methods
– Recycling and
incineration have also
increased
 Can lead to air
pollution

Hazardous Waste
– Disposing is difficult

Includes heavy metals , PCB
oils, cyanides, solvents, acids,
and caustics
– Can leach into soil,
poisonous


Must report to EPA
Placed in containers and
buried
Renewing Resources

Nuclear Energy
– Not renewable but seen as
alternative
– Advantage

Small amount of material
releases large amount of
energy
– Supplies 1/6th world’s energy

Mostly in MDCs
– Problems




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Accidents
Radioactive waste
Material for nucs
Limited uranium supply
Cost/ distribution

Nuclear Fusion
– Some nuclear power issues could
be addressed by fusion
– Definition:

Fusing of hydrogen atoms to helium
– Can only occur at high temps
Leading Renewable Energy
Sources

Biomass

– More than ½ of renewable
energy


– Historical source of power
– Benefits
Wood is a renewable resource
Crops such as corn, sugarcane, and
soybeans can be used for energy


– Limited use



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– Use of moving water to create
energy

Has been used throughout history
– 2nd most popular source of electricity
– Can be environmental disaster

China – Three Gorges Dam
Less change to environment
Greater potential for increased
use
– Problems
Energy to grow crops = to output
Forest reduced
Serves other purposes already such a
food, clothing, shelter
Hydroelectric Power
Wind Power




Noisy
Lethal to birds
Visual blight
Geothermal Energy
– Energy from hot water or steam
– Prominent in volcanic areas
– Lots of research currently
underway
Solar Energy

The ultimate renewable
source is solar energy

– Collect solar energy and
convert it either to heat
energy or to electricity
– Currently supply 1% of
electricity to U.S.

Active solar energy
Potential is limitless

– Solar panels
– Sun’s estimated life = 5 billion
years

Sun’s energy is free, can’t
be owned, bought, or sold
– Does not damage the
environment or cause
pollution
Example:

Passive solar energy
– Capture of solar energy
without any devices

Example:
– South-facing windows
– greenhouses
Renewable Energy in Motor
Vehicles


Most serious challenge to
reducing dependence on nonrenewable energy is the motor
vehicle
Batteries
– Battery-powered, electric cars
popular in 1900s
– Shortcomings




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Limited range
Costs more to operate
Recharging can take several hours
Led to creation of hybrids
Biofuels
– Ethanol can be produced from
biomass (corn in U.S., sugarcane
in Brazil)
– Takes a lot of energy, is source of
food

Hydrogen fuel cells
– Convert hydrogen and oxygen into
water, producing electricity and
heat in the process

Can be used to power motors or
electrical devices
– Obtaining hydrogen a problem

Have to separate it
– Hydrogen fuel used to lift shuttles
into orbit, power shuttle’s electrical
systems
– For motor vehicle use would
require a new distribution system
Recycling

Definition:
– The separation, collection,
processing, marketing, and
reuse of the unwanted
material


Increased in U.S. from
1970 from 7% to 33% in
2007
Main items recycled
– Paper, plastic, glass,
aluminum
Sustainable Development

Definition:
– Development that meets
the needs of the present
without compromising the
ability of future
generations to meet their
own needs

Conservation
– definition:

Sustainable use and
management of natural
resources such as wildlife,
water, air, and Earth’s
resources to meet human’s
needs

Preservation
– Definition:


Maintenance of resources
in their present condition
Sustainability
– Difficult to balance
environment with concern
for economic growth
– Example: China

Has 16 of 20 most polluted
cities in the world