1. Consuming Resources
Resource consumption is a major concern globally. There are different views as to how sustainable our consumption is as supplies of many resources, such as oil are finite. There is also concern over the ‘two speed’ world, with developed countries consuming over 80% of the resources but only containing 20% of the population.

2. You need to know:
2.1 How and why does resource consumption vary in different parts of the world? 2.2 How sustainable is the current pattern of resource supply and consumption?

3. Key terms: Key term Definition Alternative energy
Energy sources that provide an alternative to fossil fuels
Boserupian Theory
Ester Boserup (a Danish economist) argued that in times of pressure, people will find ways to increase the production of food by increasing workforce, machinery, fertilizers. ‘Necessity is the mother of invention’.
Carbon Footprint
A measurement of all greenhouse gases we individually produce
Consumption
The using up of something
Ecological Footprint
The area needed to supply resources to an individual or a group of people to maintain their lifestyle.
Food insecurity
When it is difficult to obtain sufficent food. This can range from hunger to full blown famine
Food Security
The ability to obtain sufficent food on a day to day basis.
Fossil Fuel
Oil, coal and gas – Non renewable energy

4. Key term Definition Finite resource
A resource that is restricted or limited
Human resource
The skills and abilities of the population
Malthusian Theory
Thomas Malthus argued that eventually population would outstrip food supply and at this point population would decrease through starvation and other natural checks like war, disease and morality.
Natural Resource
A resource that is naturally occuring like water, minerals that can be turned into something in its own right or made into something else.
Non renewable resource
Resources that are being used up and cannot be replaced
Peak oil
The point at which oil production reaches a maximum level and then declines

5. Key term Definition Recyclable resource
Resources, such as wood, that can be renewed if we act to replace them as we use them.
Sustainable development
Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising (limiting) the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Sustainable resource
A resource that is used up at the same speed that it is renewed.

6. Key Idea 1: Energy resources – what are their advantages & disadvantages?
Coal
(South West Australia)
Oil & natural gas – North Sea (UK)
Nuclear Energy (France)
Fuel-wood -
Mozambique
Hydro-electric
Katse Dam - Lesotho
Geo -thermal energy
(Iceland)
Wind
(Californnia -USA)
Solar-power (Greece)
Wave / tidal energy (St Malo France)
Biogas
(India)
Coal currently provides a large amount of the world energy.
Oil & gas are cheaper than coal.
Most transport runs off oil
Very few materials needed
Nuclear power is very efficient and produces a lot of electricity
It does not produce any CO2
Cheap & readily available
Easy source of fuel to use for people in developing countries
Trees are renewable if managed properly
Produces very little pollution
Once built, it is renewable and cheap to produce.
Reservoirs created can reduce water shortages.
Does not produce CO2
Once it is built it produces energy cheaply
It produces very little pollution or CO2
renewable and will provide a constant source of energy
Does not produce any air pollution
Does not produce any CO2
Once built they produce electricity very cheaply
Wind farms could generate 20% of UK’s energy needs.
It is renewable / there is an unlimited supply
Or CO2
Very good for small scale energy needs such as houses and villages in developing countries
Bio-gas plants are very cheap to build & maintain
Very good at providing energy for small scale needs such as a village or house
It uses renewable materials such as food waste and animal dung
The less coal there is the more expensive it becomes to mine
Deep mining can be very dangerous
Open cast mines look very ugly
Burning coal produces large amounts of CO2
Dust from coal can cause breathing problems
Reserves might only last another 50 years
New oil & gas fields are difficult to find
Oil & gas are easy to transport by pipeline
Oil spills harm the environment
Gas and oil refineries can look ugly
Nuclear accidents can be extremely dangerous
Nuclear plants can look ugly and are very expensive to build
Nuclear waste is very difficult to dispose of
Breaking down old nuclear power stations is very expensive
Cutting down trees causes soil erosion
In developing countries trees are rarely re-planted
Can cause heavy deforestation
Dams are very expensive to build
Large areas of land often have to be flooded
Building geo-thermal energy plants is very expensive
Very limited choice of places where the plants can be built
Wind turbines can look ugly and can be noisy
Wind does not always blow – so does not always produce electricity
Needs lots of sunshine, so would not work all year round and in all countries.
Solar panels are very expensive to build
Tidal stations are very expensive to build
Can interfere with wildlife e.g. stop breeding fish from swimming up-stream in rivers
It produces methane which is a greenhouse gas.

7. Oil consumption per person by country
Key Idea 2: Why are there global inequalities in the supply and consumption of resources.
Oil consumption per person by country

8. GDP by country Oil production
Richer countries tend to be found in the northern hemisphere for example in North America and Western Europe.
These countries tend to consume more energy because their citizens have more goods such cars and large houses which use lots of electricity.
If a country has lots of resources it does not always mean it will be rich. Saudi Arabia has lots of oil and is very wealthy. This is because it sells lots of its oil to the rest of the world for a high price.
On the other hand several African countries have lots of oil but are still extremely poor. This is because the wealth from this oil goes into the hands of very few of people and often to corrupt governments that don’t look after their people properly.
There are also examples of countries that have no resources but are very wealthy. For example Japan. This is because it generates its wealth in other ways such as through developing new technologies and providing financial services. They can therefore afford to import all of the energy they need.
Oil production
GDP by country

9. Named study 1 : Renewable V’s Non Renwable Energy
Benefits:
There are about 300billion barrels of oil in the tar sands (equivalent to Saudi Arabian oil reserves)
Tar oil extraction would make profits for the major oil companies
There would be tax benefits for countries with tar sands
Dependence on the unstable middle eastern countries would be reduced.
Continued production of oil would avoid the costs of switching to other fuels, such as hydrogen.
Benefits:
Wind is a renewable energy resource and there are no fuel costs.
No harmful polluting gases are produced.
Wind is unlimited
New Wind turbines are being developed which are much more efficent
Wind Power
Tar Sands Oil
These are enormous reserves of Tar Sands in Canada
The London Array is an off-shore wind farm in the Thames Estuary
Disadvantages:
Heavy Oils like this produce up to three times more CO2 than light oils
Tar oil extraction uses vast quantities of water – up to six barrels for each barrel of oil
Ancient spruce forests will need to be removed to scape away the oil sands and the pollution of ground water and rivers is inevitable
300 billion barrels is only about 5 years supply so only delays the inevitable search for alternatives.
Disadvantages:
It is relatively expensive and huge amounts of wind turbines are needed to generate significant amounts of energy
Wind farms are noisy and may spoil the view for people living near them.
The amount of electricity generated depends on the strength of the wind - if there is no wind, there is no electricity.
Consumption benefits

10. Key idea 3: How does using energy impact on the environment?.
- work out your ecological footprint. How many planets will we need to support your lifestyle?
MEDC’s produce the most pollution and CO2 but it is LEDC ‘s that suffer the most from pollution - watch this clip to help you understand why.

11. Key Idea 4: How much Oil is there?
Current production is focused in the Middle East, especially Saudi Arabia. However many of these countries have reached ‘peak oil’ (production of relatively cheaply obtained oil has reached its maximum so there is now a fall in production).
Uneven patterns of oil supply and demand
Oil is used in a great many ways in modern society. It fuels cars, heats buildings and provides electricity and makes the plastic we use in everyday life. Oil is a finite resource and one day it will run out.
Peak oil is the point at which oil reaches a maximum level and will start to decline as this means oil will be harder to access.
This means oil will become more expensive and will lead to a global recession as goods become more expensive to produce and transport. This in turn could lead to more global conflicts and war.

12. Key ideas 5: Future pressures on both supply and consumption of this resource in view of recent global economic growth
Consumption is largely related to the wealth of a country and its reliance on cars. 70% of the world’s oil is used transporting goods and people within and between countries.
The USA has less than 5% of the population but uses 25% of the oil mainly due to:
- Lack of public transport systems
- Low density urban settlements so need long journeys to work, school etc
- History of low petrol prices
China and India are continuing to grow rapidly with a combined population of 1,400 million using 71 million cars.
In most cases as the population grows the demand for cars will increase as the hope to get ‘the American Dream’. To achieve this Tata Motors based in India has begun production a car priced at £1500, this increasing the demand for oil and adding to C02 emissions.

13. Energy Security – The Facts
Energy supply, demand and security
There are many energy sources that can be classified in different ways (flows of renewable sources, stocks of non-renewable and recyclable sources) and that have different environmental costs.
Access to and consumption of energy resources, both renewable and non-renewable, is not evenly distributed, and depends on physical factors, cost, technology and public perception. Some areas suffer from energy poverty, while others have a surplus.
Demand for energy is growing globally, and at regional and local scales, especially in developed and emergent economies such as China and India.
Energy security depends on resource availability (domestic and foreign) and security of supply, which can be affected by geopolitics, and is a key issue for many economies.
The impacts of energy insecurity
Energy pathways, between producers and consumers, are complex and show increasing levels of risk e.g. the trans-Siberian gas pipeline into Western Europe, or Middle Eastern supplies.
There are real risks, in economic and political terms, if energy supplies are disrupted.
Increasing energy insecurity has stimulated exploration of technically difficult and environmentally sensitive areas, such as the Arctic circle, the West Shetland field and Canadian oil shales, which may incur environmental costs.
Energy TNCs, OPEC countries and other large producers are increasingly powerful players in the global supply of energy.
Energy security and the future
There is uncertainty over both global energy supply in terms of reserves (eg peak oil and gas) and demand (economic growth rates, conservation of resources, a switch to renewable sources).
There are different responses to increasing energy demands – such as ‘business as usual’ reliance on fossil fuels or the adoption of alternative sources such as nuclear, or wind power. Each has costs and benefits, such as future climate change, and local opposition.
Energy insecurity may lead to increased geopolitical tension and the potential for conflict, eg in the Middle East, or between gas consumers in Europe and producers in Russia, as consumers attempt to secure supplies.
Meeting future energy needs in developing, emergent and developed economies while avoiding serious environmental degradation requires up-scaling of radical new approaches (conservation, recyling, reliance on renewables, carbon credits and ‘green’ taxation) involving difficult choices.

14. Named Example 2: OPEC – Controlling Oil prices
The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries
It stands for the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries.
They try to preserve oil preserves for longer than those that are not within OPEC.
It is an intergovernmental organistation of developing countries which have oil.
It works in determining production and prices of oil.
It is not as influential in controling the price of oil as it used to be due to large supplies in Russia and the Gulf of Mexico. 
It has been in effect since 1961
Why might countries like the UK, USA and Germany be critical of OPEC and their policies?

15. Key Idea 6: Investigate the differences between Malthusian and Boserupian theories about the relationship between population and resources.
Malthus Theory ( )
- Population increases faster than food supply so there would come a time when the world could not cope.
- Population increases geometrically (1, 2, 4, 8, and 16)
- Food supply increases arithmetically (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)
- Population would outgrow the amount of food available leading to famine, war and disease
Malthus argued that there were ways to prevent population from extending beyond the food supplies necessary to support it (optimum population). This includes a combination of
‘Negative’: Methods people choose to reduce human fertility e.g. China’s one child policy, sterilisation
Positives’: Anything which increases mortality: e.g. low living standards, disease
Malthus argued that this would kept the carrying capacity in check (the number of plants, animals or human which can be adequately supported (carried) by the land)
Boserup Theory 1965
- Population growth has a positive impact on people as it forces them to invent a way out of a problem when resources start to run out e.g. GM crops
- Overpopulation leads to innovation and higher productivity in use of land (irrigation, weeding, crop intensification, better seeds) and labour (tools, better techniques) e.g. GM Crops and the Green Revolution

16. Key idea 8: How well do these theories stand up to current global resource supply and demand?
Malthus predictions turned out to be wrong as food production has increased rapidly. In the 19th and 20th Century the population increased but alongside the quality of life and living standards rose across the globe.
Neo-Malthusians suggest that the theory has some truth due to the high levels of famine in the world today.
Scan in Map page 168 Green Text Book

17. Named Example 3: UK Government Energy Policy
Supporting international action on climate change
Increasing the use of low carbon technologies
Helping households to cut their energy bills
Reducing the demand for energy in business, industry and the public sector
Maintaining UK energy security
Regulating and licensing UK energy industries and infrastructure
Managing the use and disposal of radioactive materials and waste
TARGETS:
Reduce UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050
20% of energy to come from renewable sources by 2020

18. Named Example 4: Local Government policies to reduce resource consumption
Recycling helps as materials are reused and resources saved. Cycle lanes help with the reduction of C02 emissions. Installing electric car charging points help to reduce CO2 emissions as people use less cars. Congestion charging helps with reducing C02 emissions Parking charges help with reducing car use. Car share schemes help with reducing car use. Bus lanes help with reducing car use. Promoting farmers markets help with supporting local farmers and reduces cost of transporting food.

19. Key idea 9: Technological fix
Technology
Advantages
Disadvantages
Hybrid cars
Low emissions of Co2
Use a lot less fuel
Expensive to build and run
Not very fast
Can only be used for short journeys.
Expensive to buy
CFL light-bulbs
Last longer and use less electricity.
They contain mercury and can take a few minutes to brighten up.
Solar power
Solar energy is a renewable energy resource and there are no fuel costs.
No harmful polluting gases are produced.
Solar cells provide electricity in remote locations, such as roadside signs
Solar cells are expensive and inefficient, so the cost of their electricity is high.
Solar cells do not work at night.
Recycling
Huge savings as materials are reused and resources saved
Impact on global warming is quite small and does not improve the lives of the poorest especially if our trips to the recycling centres are in a 4x4

20. Consuming Resources – past questions
 In the future it may be difficult for countries to provide enough energy. Explain the problems that countries may face. (4)
Define the term renewable energy resources. (2)
Name one example of a renewable energy source. (1)
Define the term non-renewable energy. (2)
Identify a developing country with a rapidly rising demand for resources. (1)
Suggest two reasons why resource consumption is low in some countries. (2)
Give two reasons why resource consumption is high in developed countries. (2)
Suggest two reasons for changes in global oil production. (2)
Outline why the demand for one named resource is increasing. (2)
Explain the pressure on energy supplies that could result from future economic growth and changing international relations (4) New
Suggest two reasons why the consumption of a named resource might fall in the future. (2)
Explain one reason why global oil production may fall after (2)
Identify two reasons for changes in global production of non-renewable energy (2) New
For a named resource, describe the inequalities in its consumption. (4)
Outline one way in which a non-renewable resource can be replaced by renewable resources. (2)
Other than recycling, describe two ways in which resource consumption can be made more sustainable (4) New
Suggest two reasons why some people do not recycle their household waste (2) New
Explain how national and local government policies can help reduce resource consumption (6) New
Explain why countries using electricity may need to switch to renewable energy resources in the future. (2)
Explain the problems of switching from non-renewable resources, such as oil, to renewable resources. (4)
Explain one reason why oil may become less important as an energy source in the future. (2)
Describe Malthus’s theory about population growth and resources. (2)
Explain the relationship between population and food supply outlined by Malthus (4) New
Describe how technology might solve the problem of resource shortages. (4)
Explain why Boserup suggests that population growth might be a good thing. (4)
Explain the differences in the theories of Malthus and Boserup about the relationship between population and resources (6) New
Explain one reason why population growth might be a good thing for a country. (2)
Explain one reason why population growth might be good for a country. (2)

21. Consuming Resources
Good Luck