Resources in the UK

• What are resources?


  A resource is a stock or supply of something that has a value or a purpose
• Why is food important?

  We need 2000-2400 calories a day for growth and health

  If your diet is not balanced you will suffer from malnutrition as you lack the necessary vitamins and minerals

  Healthier workforces lead to better economic development
• Why is water important?

  Humans need to drink water to survive

  Water can produce energy through hydroelectric power and tidal power

  It is used in industrial processes to cool down materials and machines
• Why is energy important?

  Required for economic development to power factories

  Water plays a vital role in irrigating crops so that we can have food

  Powers transport so people and goods can move around
• What is undernourishment?


  When a person does not get enough calories
• What is undernutrition?


  When a person does not get enough vitamins and minerals
• What global inequalities exist in food supply?

  LICs

  Over a billion people are undernourished

  HICs

  Eating too many calories causing obesity
• What is water stress?

  When water demand is greater than supply
• What global inequalities exist in water supply?

  Climate and precipitation mean many countries on 30N/S lack water

  Expensive to preserve water

  HICs use it for industry, LICs use water for agriculture
• What global inequalities exist in energy supply?

  HICs use way more energy than LICs as they have more demands for electricity - industry and the household
• How is food demand changing in the UK?

  We import more food from LICs

  We want year-round availability of food

  Organic options
• Why is the UK importing high value food from LICs?

  More diverse eating habits as there are more migrants and travel

  Expensive due to transport and retail

  Farmers do not make much money
• How is demand for out of season produce growing?

  We are importing food we cannot grow all year

  E.g. strawberries from Spain

  More expensive - has to be transported by air
• What is organic food?

  Food which is produced using environmentally and animal friendly farming methods on organic farms.
• How is demand for organic food changing?

  Increasing popular despite being expensive as it uses lots of labour

  Often links with buying local and seasonal
• What is carbon footprint?

  A measurement of all the greenhouse gases that are produced individually, by a company or a product
• What are food miles?

  The distance food is transported from the producer to consumers.

  Imported food will have higher food miles
• Why do people buy locally sourced food?

  To reduce food miles, and therefore the impact on the greenhouse effect

  Done by supermarkets, cafes, restaurants

  Often bought directly from farmers at food markets
• What is agribusiness?


  Application of business skills to agriculture.
• What are the features of agribusiness?

  Large field sizes

  Using modern methods

  Increased mechanisation

  Lots of fertilisers and pesticides

  Relies on technology
• What are the positives of agribusiness?

  Increased production of food

  Growing agricultural research industry

  More food security (food supply is more reliable)
• What are the issues with agribusiness?

  Decline in local employment

  Damage to the environment through pesticides

  Local farms can't compete
• Why is water demand in the UK increasing?

  Population increase

  People are getting richer so have washing machines, dishwashers

  More factories

  Precipitation is less reliable, so farmers have to rely on watering crops themselves
• What is water surplus?

  When water supply is greater than demand. Too much water
• What is water deficit?

  When water demand is greater than supply. Not enough water.
• What are the UK's patterns of water surplus and deficit

  South and East

  High population

  Lower rainfall

  Water deficit

  North and West

  Lower population

  Higher rainfall

  Water surplus
• What is water transfer?

  Water transfer schemes attempt to make up for water shortages by constructing elaborate systems of canals, and pipes over long distances to transport water from one river basin to another.
• What are the advantages of water transfer?

  Able to meet demand when extreme weather takes place

  Able to balance supply issues for areas of water deficit
• What are the disadvantages of water transfer?

  Enormous cost of constructing the infrastructure - dams, tunnels and pipelines

  Impact on the ecosystem in the source river as the flow is reduced

  Pumping the water uses of lots of electricity, enhancing the greenhouse effect

  Environmental damage during construction from increased traffic

  Climate change is going to affect rainfall patterns so long-term the pipes may not be in the right places
• Where does water pollution come from?

  Untreated waste from industries

  Houses: Leaky sewers, inappropriate stuff in the sink - oil, detergent

  Agriculture - run off of fertiliser and slurry (manure)
• What are the impacts of water pollution?

  Toxic waste can poison wildlife.

  Pesticides can kill important parts of the ecosystem

  Poison drinking water.

  Increased water temperatures

  killing plants

  Fishermen and tourist industry suffer

  More algae in the water, depriving plants of oxygen

  Sewage microbacteria can cause illness
• How do we manage water pollution levels?

  Legislation - The UK has strict laws to Educational campaigns - Inform the public about what to put down the sink

  Wastewater treatment facilities - Remove solids out of the water

  Investments in sewers and infrastructure - Prevent spills and accidents, but drive up water bills

  Pollution traps - reed beds are often installed to catch and filter out the pollution by the side of the road

  Green roofs - A roof that is planted can filter out pollutants naturally in rainwater.
• How is the UK's energy demand changing?

  The UK uses less energy than it did 50 years ago
• Why is the UK's energy demand changing?

  More energy efficient devices

  More public awareness

  Increased cost of energy
• What is renewable energy

  A resource that cannot be exhausted (run out)
• What are examples of renewable energy?

  Solar, wind, hydropower, tidal power
• What is non-renewable energy?

  A resource that can be exhausted (will run out)
• What are examples of non-renewable energy?

  Coal, oil, gas, nuclear
• What is energy mix?

  The range of energy sources of a region or country
• How has the UK's energy mix changed?

  Coal has decreased

  Renewables have increased

  Gas has increased

  Nuclear has increased