1. PAPER 2: Challenges in the human environment
SECTION C: The Challenge of Resource Management 1

2. All affect quality of life/ health and wealth.
The significance of food, water & energy to economic & social well-being
All affect quality of life/ health and wealth.
Food:
Fuel for our bodies.
Calories.
Water:
Drink it to survive.
Also need it to wash, dispose of waste, grow and process food & in industrial manufacturing processes.
Fuel:
The amount & type of energy depends on a variety of factors including where people live & how wealthy they are.
Renewable & non-renewable

3. An overview of global inequalities in the supply & consumption of resources
Food:
USA 3,500 Cals
Ethiopia 1,000 Cals
Water:
USA 875 litres
Ethiopia 25 litres
Energy:
USA Most Oil
Bangladesh Least Oil

4. E.g. Strawberries in winter. E.g. tropical fruits and vegetables
Food: the growing demand for high-value food exports from low income countries & all-year demand for seasonal food & organic produce
Demand for out-of-season and exotic food available all year round has gone up.
Expensive!
Demand for Organic farming has gone up– does not include the use of chemicals such as pesticides and fertilisers.
Animals are farmed without the use of drugs to increase growth.
E.g. Strawberries in winter.
E.g. tropical fruits and vegetables
Main reasons for consumers choosing:
Contains fewer chemicals & pesticides, natural & unprocessed, healthier
Luxury item as more expensive as yields from farms tend to be lower.

5. Food: larger carbon footprints due to the increasing number of ‘food miles’ moves towards local sourcing of food
Food miles – the distance that food travels from producer to consumer.
Carbon footprint – the measure of the impact that human activities have on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases they produce.
Local Food:

6. Food: the trend towards agribusiness

7. Water: the changing demand for water
Demand for water has gone up!
Increase in wealth leading to more use of domestic appliances such as dishwashers & washing machines.
Changes in personal hygiene; most people now shower at least several times a week, in the past = weekly bath the norm.
Farming
Increased industrial production (factories)
Increased leisure use e.g. Golf courses need great deal of water for maintaining.
Increased UK population.

8. Water: water quality & pollution management

9. Water: matching supply & demand – areas of deficit and surplus
Figure 2- UK rainfall distribution
Figure 3- UK population density
Water deficit
Areas which do not have enough water for the needs of the population.
South East
Water surplus
Areas that have more water than they need for the population.
North West

10. Water: the need for transfer to maintain supplies

11. Renewable (will not run out): Wind/ Solar Power – increased use
Energy: the changing energy mix – reliance on fossil fuels, growing significance of renewables
Non Renewable (will run out): Coal, Oil, Gas (fossil fuels) – reducing use although still biggest use
Renewable (will not run out): Wind/ Solar Power – increased use
Nuclear (will not run out): Small use
Fracking (Gas): Not yet using but may in future