Chapter 14 Resource Issues Key Issue 1 Why Are Resources Being Depleted?

Energy Resources A resource is a substance in the environment that is useful as well as feasible to access. Resources include food, water, soil, plants, animals, and minerals. This chapter deals with the two major misuses of resources, the depletion of scarce resources for energy production and the destruction of resources through pollution. Animate power is supplied by humans and animals. Since the Industrial Revolution there has been a tremendous increase in inanimate power, which is generated by machines. Three fossil fuels, oil, natural gas, and coal, provide five-sixths of the world’s energy. In some LDCs biomass fuel, such as wood, plant material, and animal waste, is still the major source of fuel.

Finiteness of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels are examples of nonrenewable energy. Remaining supplies are proven reserves and potential reserves. The world’s proven reserves of natural gas will last for about 60 years, which is less than petroleum reserves and much less than coal reserves. New technology can make potential reserves a reality but extraction is now much harder. New fields may yet be discovered, and unconventional sources may be developed.

Uneven Distribution of Fossil Fuels Fossil fuels are unevenly distributed around the globe. China extracts 40% of the world’s total, and the U.S. extracts 20%. Australia, India, Russia, and South Africa all have major reserves. Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates, all of which are members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), have 60% of the world’s oil reserves. Russia and the U.S. each account for one-fourth of world natural gas production. A few LDCs in Africa, Asia, and Latin America have extensive reserves of one or more fossil fuels, but most have little. MDCs currently consume about three-quarters of the world’s energy, although LDCs, especially China, are beginning to consume more as they become more developed.

Nonrenewable Substitutes for Petroleum Nuclear power is becoming an increasing energy source, and it now supplies about one-sixth of the world’s electricity. The world’s leading generators of nuclear power are the U.S., France, and Japan. Problems associated with nuclear power include potential accidents, radioactive waste, generation of plutonium, a limited uranium supply, geographic distribution, and cost.

Mineral Resources Minerals are plentiful on the Earth’s surface and are potential resources if people can find a use for them. Minerals are either metallic or nonmetallic. Nonmetallic metals include various stones and sand, as well as nitrogen, phosphorus and other sources of fertilizer. Metallic minerals are ferrous, derived from iron, or nonferrous of which the most abundant is aluminum.