consuming energy resources

• non renewables


  once used up can't be replaced - coil, oil gas
• renewables


  never run out, infinite, wind, solar, HEP
• recyclables 


  provides energy from sources that can be recycled/reused - nuclear and biofuels
• environmental impacts of energy use

  oil spill 2010 - drilling in Gulf Coast USA, oil rig exploded, oil leaked into sea for 87 days, marine and bird life lost

  landscape scarring - Xilinhot China, coal 70% China's energy, open cast coal quarries, scars landscape

  deforestation - HEP development Brazil, HEP provides 85% Brazil electricity but rainforest cleared to make
• energy resources - coal


  formed during carboniferous period, hard to access in UK

  technology makes mining possible but coal more expensive
• decline of UK coal industry

  industry almost disappeared in 2015 due to -

  high cost

  cheaper to import

  declining demand

  use of other sources

  pressure to reduce greenhouse gases
• meeting UK energy needs

  UK has more varied energy mix

  ~fossil fuels - natural gas and oil available from North Sea

  ~renewables - 10% UK energy, wind, solar, HEP

  ~recyclables - 16% UK energy is nuclear
• finite


  limited or restricted resource
• oil usage


  some believe peak oil has already been reached so will get more expensive as supplies fall

  others believe peak oil decades away

  oil is finite so will run out
• changing price of oil


  reasons - new supplies, demand, supply, political reasons

  2003-2011 Iraq war - Iraq 4th largest world oil reserves, conflict led to oil shortages and increased prices
• fracking


  process of extracting oil from shale rock

  - water blasted into rock under pressure to release oil
• costs of fossil fuels

  fracking under national parks

  • fracking produced 39% natural gas in USA 2014
  • contaminates drinking water sources
  • risk of minor earthquakes
• cost of fossil fuels 2

  Arctic at risk

  • Arctic has up to 25% world's remaining oil and gas
  • it's taiga area is 25% of all remaining forest globally
  • environmental groups worry about damage caused
• cost of fossil fuels 3

  Tar sands

  • Athabasca, Canada
  • large scale open pit mining destroys forest, huge ecosystem loss
  • Greenpeace concerned it has led to decline in Caribou, lynx and wolverines
• energy efficient homes


  solar panels

  double glazed windows

  energy efficient lights

  insulation

  wind turbines
• carbon footprint


  calculation of total greenhouse gas emissions caused by something
• reducing London's carbon footprint

  Santander cycle scheme in 2010 - 6000 bikes

  London buses hybrid since 2012
• alternatives - HEP


  +reliable and consistent

  -enormously expensive - Sardar Sarovar cost $19 billion
• alternatives - Biofuels


  + fewer co2 emissions and toxins

  + renewable

  -cost same as oil to produce
• alternatives - solar


  + produces lots of energy

  +low maintenance and no noise

  -$2 billion to build farm
• alternatives - hydrogen technology and toyota

  +abundant

  +can be made from water

  +clean / no pollutants

  -expensive and requires government to subsidise $30000 to get cars
• conflicting views on future energy use


  business as usual - journalist, TNCs

  sustainable future - UK government, TNCs, environmental campaign group, climate scientist
• carbon taxing


  +creates money to use for alternatives

  +reduces greenhouse gases

  -might make businesses move to places with no carbon taxing
• food miles


  how far food has travelled to where it is consumed
• ecological footprint


  measured in hectares, shows land/water required to produce resources for each country
• DME


  3-4 developed points

  use evidence, PEEJ

  balanced answer

  PEEJ - SIT (sustainable improvement timescales)
• DME STRUCTURE


  option

  intro

  +why

  +why

  +why

  -balance

  -rejections

  conclusion