Chapter 14: Resource Issues

1. Chapter 14: Resource Issues The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography

2. Why Are Resources Being Depleted? • Energy resources • Animate versus inanimate power • Energy supply and demand • Five-sixths of the world’s energy supply comes from coal, natural gas, and oil • Finiteness of natural resources • Renewable versus nonrenewable resources • Proven reserves • Potential reserves

3. Per Capita Energy Consumption Figure 14-1

4. U.S. Energy Consumption Figure 14-2

5. Outlook for World Petroleum Production Figure 14-3

6. Coal Production Figure 14-4

7. Proven Reserves of Fossil Fuels Figure 14-5

8. Why Are Resources Being Depleted? • Energy resources • Uneven distribution of fossil fuels • Location of reserves • Consumption of fossil fuels • Control of world petroleum • OPEC • Changing supply and demand

9. Why Are Resources Being Depleted? • Mineral resources • Metallic or nonmetallic • Nonmetallic = 90 percent of extraction is for building stone • Ferrous metallic minerals = iron ore, chromium, manganese • Nonferrous metallic minerals = aluminum, copper, zinc • Precious metals = gold, silver, platinum

10. Why Are Resources Being Polluted? • Air pollution • Global scale • Global warming • Greenhouse effect • The ozone layer and CFCs • Regional scale • Acid precipitation and acid deposition • Local scale • Carbon monoxide • Hydrocarbons and photochemical smog • Particulates

11. Global Warming Figure 14-15

12. Acid Deposition in North America & Europe Figure 14-18

13. Smog in Mexico City Figure 14-19

14. Why Are Resources Being Polluted? • Water pollution • Sources • Agriculture • Water-using industries • Municipal uses • Impact on aquatic life • Biochemical oxygen demand • Wastewater and disease

15. Why Are Resources Being Polluted? • Land pollution • Solid-waste disposal • Sanitary landfills • Two alternatives to landfills: incineration and recycling • Hazardous waste disposal • In 2007 = about 47 million tons disposed of in the United States

16. Why Are Resources Being Polluted? • Renewing resources • Nuclear energy • Potential accidents • Radioactive wastes • Bomb material • Limited uranium reserves • High cost

17. Percentage of Electricity Generated from Nuclear Power Figure 14-23

18. Why Are Resources Being Reused? • Renewing resources • Leading renewable energy resources • Biomass • Hydroelectric power • Wind power • Geothermal energy • Solar energy • Active • Passive • Renewable energy in motor vehicles

19. Electricity From Hydroelectric Power Figure 14-26

20. Why Are Resources Being Reused? • Recycling resources • In the United States recycling has steadily increased since 1970 • Recycling collection • Pick-up and processing • Recyclables are collected in four ways: curbside, drop-off, buy-back, and/or deposit • Manufacturing of recycled products

21. Sources of Solid Waste Figure 14-30

22. Why Are Resources Being Reused? • Recycling resources • Other pollution reduction strategies • Reducing discharges • Increasing environmental capacities • Comparing pollution reduction strategies • It seems clear that consumers must learn to use/waste less for a safer, cleaner environment

23. A Coking Plant Figure 14-32

24. Why Should Resources Be Conserved? • Sustainable development • Improving quality of life while preserving resources for future generations • Conservation • Sustainable use and management of resources • Preservation • Maintenance of resources in their present condition • Impact on economic growth

25. Sustainable Development Figure 14-33

26. Pollution Compared to a Country’s Wealth Figure 14-34

27. Why Should Resources be Conserved? • Biodiversity • Geographic biodiversity versus biological biodiversity • Biologists = most concerned with genetic diversity • Geographers = most concerned with biogeographic diversity • Biodiversity in the tropics • Occupy 6 percent of Earth’s land area but contain more than 50 percent of all species

28. The End.