Resource Extraction

• Coal mining consequences 


  visual impact on landscape - open pits

  contaminates water and soil with sulphur / carbon (can create acid rain)

  can lead to deforestation, leaching, fresh water pollution and flood risk
• Natural gas extraction consequences

  extraction can lead to water pollution and major oil spills

  fracking forces gas and oil to surface, releasing greenhouse gases by allowing less greenhouse gases / toxic fluids to remain in the ground

  contaminate water

  increased CO2 emissions in US
• nuclear power extraction consequences

  lead to deforestation, soil erosion and leaching

  high use of water needed to process isotopes

  water can be contaminated with radioactive material

  Chernobyl Disaster 1986 and Fukushima 2011 (nuclear waste)

  landscapes irradiated after disaster
• Renewable energy extraction consequences

  hydroelectric energy requires lots of water however it is reusable but water eventually evaporate at a higher rate than usual

  requires energy during construction

  can disrupt local ecology / life cycles

  can lead to landslides, water pollution, flash flooding and droughts

  efficient to extract - Iceland plants to transfer energy to UK by pipelines