Chapter 14: Resource Issues

Per capita energy consumption

Geography and Resources Geographers look at where resources are distributed, how they are obtained, what they’re used for (and their value to a society) as well as the impact of their attainment and use North Americans; with only one-twentieth of Earth’s population, consume one-fourth of the world’s energy and generate one-fourth of many pollutants Ex: Average American produces 4 lbs of waste a day – product wrapping, food waste, etc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7rNYzSH-BA

Garbage…duh.

Garbage Island in Pacific – 2x size of TEXAS????

LDCs and Semi-periphery countries 2 billion people live without clean water or sewers. 1 billion live in cities with unsafe sulfur dioxide levels. Future generations will pay the price if we continue to mismanage Earth’s resources. Carelessness has already led to unsafe drinking water and toxic air in some places MDCs still look to Africa and Asia for waste disposal – esp of hazardous materials like uranium from nuclear power plants

Resource Use (Depletion) Energy resources Fossil fuel supply Distribution of fossil fuels World petroleum control Nonrenewable substitutes Mineral resources Nonmetallic minerals Metallic minerals

Historical Energy Use v. Modern Man or animal power Some harnessing of natural sources like water or wind Burning of biomass – wood, debris After Industrial Revolution Huge spike in use of non-renewable energy sources Use of Fossil fuels – natural gas, petroleum, coal Depletion of supply Environmental issues Non-renewable Use of nuclear power Expensive Hazardous materials produced Historical Energy Use v. Modern

In US Today For U.S. businesses the main energy resource is coal. Some businesses directly burn coal. Others rely on electricity, mostly generated at coal-burning power plants. At home, energy is used primarily for heating of living space and water. Natural gas is the most common source, followed by petroleum (heating oil and kerosene). Almost all transportation systems operate on petroleum products. Only subways, streetcars, and some trains run on coal-generated electricity.

Two-thirds of the world’s known petroleum reserves are in the Middle East. Saudi Arabia alone has over one-quarter of world reserves

OPEC and petroleum reserves Until the 1970s, MDCs paid very little for its crude oil supply It was cheaper to import oil than to drill for it LDCs with petroleum reserves received little compensation for their product OPEC – Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries - moved to nationalize oil fields. Price increased from $3 a barrel to $33. Gas prices in US went from ~ $.40 to $1.40 a gallon in a short span of time. Economic crisis.

Finiteness of supply Oil is in demand in many LDCs that are now industrializing as a source of energy and for cars that are becoming more and more affordable to a rising middle class The amount of energy remaining in deposits that have been discovered is called a proven reserve. Proven reserves can be measured with reasonable accuracy. The World Energy Council estimates potential oil reserves of about 500 billion barrels, with the largest fields thought to lie beneath the South China Sea and northwestern China.

Coal reserves (electricity)

Natural Gas Reserves

Unconventional Reserves Potential and unconventional reserves of fossil fuels are not economically feasible to obtain at the present moment ex: oil shale and tar sandstones. Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado contain more than 10 times the petroleum reserves of Saudi Arabia, but as oil shale.

Oil shale

Uneven Distribution…Why?

Petroleum production

Oil Sources

Coal

Issues with Coal Uncontrolled burning of coal releases several pollutants. The U.S. Clean Air Act now requires utilities to use better-quality coal or to install “scrubbers” on smokestacks. Historically, mining was an especially dangerous occupation. Strictly enforced U.S. mine safety laws, automation of mining, and a smaller workforce have made the American coal industry much safer. Annual U.S. mine mortality now is below 100. Surface (strip) mining can cause soil erosion. In the United States the mining industry is highly regulated, and most companies today have a good record but past practices have left a legacy of environmental damage. Coal must be shipped long distances, because most of the factories and power plants using it are far from the coalfields. Principal methods of transporting coal—barge, rail, or truck—are all powered by petroleum.

Nuclear Power

Nuclear Plants in the US

Nuclear Disasters

Pollution is no fun Air pollution Water pollution Land pollution Global scale air pollution Regional scale air pollution Local scale air pollution Water pollution Water pollution sources Impact on aquatic life Wastewater and disease Land pollution Solid waste disposal Toxic pollutants

Global Warming Human actions, especially the burning of fossil fuels, are causing Earth’s temperature to rise. Earth is warmed by sunlight that is converted to heat. When the heat tries to pass back through the atmosphere to space, some gets through and some is trapped. A concentration of trace gases in the atmosphere can block or delay the return of some of the heat leaving the surface heading for space. Plants and oceans absorb much of the discharges, but increased fossil-fuel burning during the past 200 years has caused the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to rise by more than one-fourth.

Solar Energy Only 6% of energy in US is generated from renewable resources Solar energy is free, doesn't damage the environment or cause pollution, and is quite safe. There are two general approaches to harnessing solar energy: passive and active.

Conservation “Conservation” - reflects balance between nature and society. Conservation is the sustainable use and management of natural resources such as wildlife, water, air, and Earth deposits to meet human needs, including food, medicine, and recreation. Conservation differs from preservation, which is maintenance of resources in their present condition, with as little human impact as possible. In contrast, conservation is compatible with development but only if natural resources are utilized in a careful rather than a wasteful manner.

Practice FRQ a) What makes waste toxic waste? Identify two examples of toxic waste and discuss where each of them came from. b) Waste prevention is a first priority amongst many countries. Identify two examples of ways that either companies or we can prevent large amounts of solid waste outputs. Also, explain why waste prevention is of great importance. c) Another way of dealing with solid waste is through incineration. Identify two advantages and two disadvantages to burning solid waste as a method of waste management. d) A second way of managing waste is by burying it. Describe sanitary landfills and identify one advantage and one disadvantage for using landfills as a method of solid waste management.