1. Resource Issues and Sustainable Development

2. Sustainable Development
Figure 14-33

3. Sustainable development
“Improving quality of life while conserving resources for future generations”
Conservation
Sustainable use and management of resources to meet human needs while maintaining them for use by future generations.
Preservation
Maintenance of resources in their present condition
Value of nature does not derive from fulfilling human needs.
Impact on economic growth
Economic growth ↗ Pollution ↗
But, pollution also lowers potential economic growth
WWF says we are overcapacity in use of resources
Others say, “resources” can be redefined

4. Resources a substance in the environment that is
useful to people
economically/technically feasible to access
socially acceptable to use
Finiteness as a way of classifying natural resources
Renewable resources are essentially unlimited in supply and can’t be depleted while nonrenewable resources form so slowly that they can’t practically be replenished
How are resources misused?
we deplete (“use up”) scarce resources
we pollute our air, water and soil

5. Pollution Compared to a Country’s Wealth

6. Pollution

7. Pollution
Occurs when more waste is added than a resource (air, water, land) can accommodate or exceeds its environmental capacity.

8. Air Pollution (on three scales)
Concentration of trace substances at a greater level than occurs in average air.
Mostly generated by
motor vehicles, industry and power plants
Global scale
Global warming
Greenhouse effect

10. Global Warming

12. Air Pollution (on three scales)
Concentration of trace substances at a greater level than occurs in average air.
Mostly generated by
motor vehicles, industry and power plants
Global scale
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
The ozone layer and CFCs (chloroflourocarbons)

15. Air Pollution (on three scales)
Concentration of trace substances at a greater level than occurs in average air.
Mostly generated by
motor vehicles, industry and power plants
Global scale
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
The ozone layer and CFCs
Regional scale
Acid precipitation and acid deposition

16. Acid Deposition in North America & Europe

17. Air Pollution (on three scales)
Concentration of trace substances at a greater level than occurs in average air.
Mostly generated by motor vehicles, industry and power plants
Global scale
Global warming
Greenhouse effect
The ozone layer and CFCs
Regional scale
Acid precipitation and acid deposition
Local scale
Carbon monoxide
Particulates
Hydrocarbons and photochemical smog

18. Smog in Mexico City

20. Water pollution
When the volume of discharge exceeds the capacity of rivers, lakes and oceans to accommodate it
Sources
point source (contamination vector can be identified)
water-using industries
municipal uses (sewage systems, etc.)
nonpoint source (contamination vector is diffused)
Agriculture (fertilizers, animal waste, etc.)

22. Water pollution
When the volume of discharge exceeds the capacity of rivers, lakes and oceans to accommodate it
Sources
point source (contamination vector can be identified)
water-using industries
municipal uses (sewage systems, etc.)
nonpoint source (contamination vector is diffused)
Agriculture (fertilizers, animal waste, etc.)
Impact on aquatic life
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
Warmed and overly salinated water also are problems

24. Water pollution
When the volume of discharge exceeds the capacity of rivers, lakes and oceans to accommodate it
Sources
point source (contamination vector can be identified)
water-using industries
municipal uses (sewage systems, etc.)
nonpoint source (contamination vector is diffused)
Agriculture (fertilizers, animal waste, etc.)
Impact on aquatic life
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
Warmed and overly salinated water also are problems
Wastewater and disease
In MDCs: strict regulation has reversed decades of abuse
In LDCs: water-born disease (cholera, typhoid, dysentery) are major causes of death

29. Land pollution Solid-waste disposal Sanitary landfills ½ of U.S. waste
“Concentrates” rather than disperses
Leakage into ground water
2 alternatives to landfills: incineration and recycling
Land pollution

32. Land pollution Solid-waste disposal Hazardous waste disposal
Sanitary landfills
½ of U.S. waste
“Concentrates” rather than disperses
Leakage into ground water
2 alternatives to landfills: incineration and recycling
Hazardous waste disposal
Heavy metals, electrical equipment, strong solvents
Municipalities have special drop off points
In 2007 = about 47 million tons disposed of in the United States
Some companies try to ship to LDCs
Land pollution

36. Pollution Solution? (I couldn’t resist)

37. Recycling
The separation, collection, processing, marketing and reuse of unwanted material
In the U.S. recycling has steadily ↗ since 1970
1970: 7% : 33%
Recycling collection
Pick-up and processing
Recyclables are collected in four ways: curbside, drop-off, buy-back, and/or deposit
Manufacturing of recycled products
Paper: clean, well-sorted, uncontaminated and dry
Plastic: different types need separation (#s)
Glass: 100% recyclable with no loss of quality
Aluminum: most common metal accepted

38. Sources of Solid Waste

39. Other pollution reduction strategies
Reduce throwaway component of packaging
No more styrofoam
“cap and trade”
uses a market concept
Polluters are given allowances to discharge
Markets formed to buy unused allowances from those who don’t use them
Therefore it rewards companies to pollute less

40. Consumption (depletion)

41. Water Scarcity (stress and crisis)
Biggest problem with water is the uneven distribution of fresh water supply.
1.2 billion lack access to clean drinking water
“top global risk to society” – World Economic Forum
Two types
Economic water scarcity
Enough supply but lack infrastructure for use.
No irrigation systems, water treatment, etc.
Physical water scarcity
Just not enough water

42. Problems Stress from agriculture Stress from population growth
Green Revolution, monocultures, etc.
could lead to food shortages
LDCS = India, Northern China
MDCs = Mississippi Delta, California
Stress from population growth
Sub-Saharan Africa
Rust Belt to Sun Belt migration
Stress between groups
Israeli-Arab compete for West Bank aquifer
Nile River (Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt)
Central Asian (“Stans”) deplete the Aral Sea

45. Depletion of aquifers/groundwater

49. Energy supply and demand biomass most important source of fuel in LDCs
5/6ths of world’s supply from 3 main sources:
coal, natural gas, and oil
fossil fuels = the residue of plants and animals buried millions of years ago
They are nonrenewable and therefore finite
biomass most important source of fuel in LDCs

50. Proven Reserves of Fossil Fuels

51. Energy Consumption Usage is split 50/50 between MDC and LDCs
But per capita usage in 3x higher in MDCs
used by businesses, home heating and transportation
MDCs must import supplies from LDCs to meet needs
US has made efforts to decrease dependence on foreign sources
Conservations methods (increase auto mpg, turn down thermostat, etc.) but low prices and bad habits return.
SUVs
Increased production = fracking, shale, tar sands
US currently is largest producer of natural gas? oil by 2015?
Is energy independence in sight?
US production the cause of oil surplus = ↘ prices?
LDCs using more due to development, prices ↑
China is expected to be the world’s biggest energy user by 2015
OPEC (Org. of Petroleum Exporting Countries)
“cartel”/oligopoly that controls world oil prices by controlling supply

53. Per Capita Energy Consumption
Figure 14-1

55. “Proven” vs. “Potential” reserves
Proven = reasonable certainty of being able to extract with current tech.
unevenly distributed
Coal ≈ 130+ yrs.
China (39%), US (16%)
Petroleum ≈ 40+ yrs.
SW Asia (40%), C. Asia (15%), Russia (11%), US (10%)
Natural Gas ≈ 40+ yrs.
Russia (27%)
Potential = thought to exist
New discoveries
Enhanced recovery
Hydraulic fracturing or “fracking”
contaminated ground water
depletion of ground water
air, noise pollution
seismic activity
Unconventional sources
Oil shale, tar sands, oil sands = other substances saturated with petroleum
“Proven” vs. “Potential” reserves

56. Coal Production
Figure 14-4

57. U.S. Energy Consumption
Figure 14-2

58. Renewable resources Nuclear energy “Potential??” accidents
Three Mile Island (1979)
Chernobyl, USSR (1986)
Fukushima, Japan (2011)
Radioactive wastes
Long-term danger
Yucca Mountain, NV (til 2010)
now stored on-site
Bomb material
Proliferation/Terrorist access
Limited uranium reserves
Australia ¼, Kazakhstan 1/6
Could use a breeder reactor
High cost

61. Percentage of Electricity Generated from Nuclear Power

62. Other Leading Renewable Resources
Biomass = wood/other plant life
takes more energy to grow crops than energy produced
deforestation, reduction in soil fertility
biomass sources have other uses (food, clothing and shelter)

65. Sugar cane Maize 5,573 13,900 3.6 (1%) 10 (3.7%) 6,800-8,000
Comparison of key characteristics between the ethanol industries in the United States and Brazil
Characteristic
 Brazil
 U.S.
Units/comments
Feedstock
Sugar cane
Maize
Main cash crop for ethanol production, the US has less than 2% from other crops.
Total ethanol fuel production (2011)[3]
5,573
13,900
Million U.S. liquid gallons.
Total area used for ethanol crop (2006)[91]
3.6 (1%)
10 (3.7%)
Million hectares (% total arable).[139]
Productivity per hectare[4][91][139][140]
6,800-8,000
3,800-4,000
Liters of ethanol per hectare.
Energy balance (input energy productivity)[6][13][91]
8.3 to 10.2
1.3 to 1.6
Ratio of the energy obtained from ethanol/energy expended in its production.
Estimated GHG emissions reduction[2][91][141]
86-90%(2)
10-30%(2)
% GHGs avoided by using ethanol instead of gasoline, using existing crop land (No ILUC).
Ethanol fueling stations in the country
35,017 (100%)
2,326 (1%)
As % of total gas stations in the country.
Ethanol's share in the gasoline market[27][51]
50%(6)
10%
As % of total consumption on a volumetric basis.
Cost of production (USD/gallon)[4]
0.83
1.14
2006/2007 for Brazil (22¢/liter), 2004 for U.S. (35¢/liter).

66. Other Leading Renewable Resources
Biomass = wood/other plant life
takes more energy to grow crops than energy produced
deforestation, reduction in soil fertility
biomass sources have other uses (housing, food, clothing)
Hydroelectric power
2nd largest source of electricity after coal
Brazil, Canada = high dependence
China = biggest producer = Three Gorges Dam = environmental disaster

67. Electricity From Hydroelectric Power

68. Other Leading Renewable Resources
Biomass = wood/other plant life
takes more energy to grow crops than energy produced
deforestation, reduction in soil fertility
biomass sources have other uses
Hydroelectric power
2nd largest source of electricity after coal
Brazil, Canada = high dependence
China = biggest producer = Three Gorges Dam = environmental disaster
Wind power
Noisy, lethal to birds and bats, visual blight

71. Other Leading Renewable Resources
Geothermal energy
energy from the Earth’s interior
most accessible near fault lines, volcanic areas

74. Other Leading Renewable Resources
Geothermal energy
energy from the Earth’s interior
most accessible near fault lines, volcanic areas
Solar energy
Passive = captures energy without special devices
Active = collect solar energy and convert it to electricity
Photovoltaic cells (large projects or individual rooftop)
recently cost = nonrenewable energy in certain areas = grid parity
Increased efficiency, Chinese manufacturing/government support

76. Renewable energy in motor vehicles
Batteries
Electric cars
But how is the electricity produced?
Biofuels
Hydrogen fuel cells
Hydrogen + oxygen = water + energy, dawn of the hydrogen economy?

77. The End.