Resource Management

Lesson 1: The global distribution of resources

What are resources?

A resource is something that has a value or purpose. The three most important resources are food, energy and water. A country needs enough of these three supplies in order to develop.

Development is when a country becomes better, the economy becomes stronger (the country gets richer) and the country starts to become more socially liberal (people are treated fairly and have a good quality of life).

The problem with resources, is that food, water and energy are not distributed fairly across the world. Most High Income Countries/HIC’s (rich countries) have plentiful supplies of food, water and energy; however, many of the worlds poorer countries (especially Sub-Saharan Africa) lack these resources.

If countries lack these three basic resources (food, water and energy), then development is unlikely to occur, and the country will struggle to improve the quality of life for their people.

In this lesson, we will be looking at the three key resources in more depth!

Food

Your health is affected by how much food you eat. The World Health Organisation (WHO) suggests that we need 2000-2400 calories a day to be healthy. Over one billion people in the world fall below this level, and they can be described as malnourished.

A further two billion people suffer from undernutrition. This is where their diet lacks minerals and vitamins. This can lead to various illnesses and diseases. Undernutrition can have a big impact on the country’s economy (how rich it is). People need to be well to go to work. If people are ill, they cannot go to work. If a country is lacking in resources, such as food, then many people will be ill, meaning many people cannot work. See the map (map A) below which shows how many countries are undernourished.

Map A: Global undernourishment.

Water

Water is an extremely important resource. It is used every day; from cooking to cleaning. Both the quantity and quality of water is important. Dirty water would be poor quality. Purified clean water (like bottled water) is good quality.

Water is not only essential for humans, but also for animals, and farming. Farmers need to use water to water their crops, and to give to their livestock. It is also important for the generation of power. As the world’s population grows, there will be a bigger demand for water.

The imbalance of water is mainly due to differences in climate and rainfall. Rainwater needs to be captured or stored in reservoirs. Water can also be taken from lakes and rivers.

See the map below (map B), which shows which countries are facing water scarcity (a lack of water). Physical water scarcity is a lack of water (e.g. areas with desert). Economic scarcity is where countries cannot afford to used water resources (e.g. it’s too expensive to drill into an underground water source).

Map B: Water Scarcity

Energy (e.g. oil)

Think of everything energy is used for in your home and school. It is used for technology, lights, TV’s, cookers. Energy is also needed for development. Energy can power factories, provide fuel for transport. In the past, many countries could rely on their own supply; however, things are much more complicated now. As energy resources like oil and gas are running low, countries buy their energy from other countries.

Energy consumption is increasing. As countries develop, and population increases, so does the demand. The world’s richest countries use far more oil than developing countries like those in Africa. The Middle East provides much of the world’s oil, but its consumption is very small.

Lesson 1 – Questions:

1. Define the term ‘resource’.

2. Explain the difference between malnourishment and undernutrition.

3. Describe the distribution of undernourishment on map A. Remember, use countries, continents and compass direction!

4. Describe the distribution of water scarcity on map B. Remember, use countries, continents and compass direction! Are there any anomalies (thing’s that do not fit the pattern?).

5. Explain why some countries suffer from water shortages.

6. Explain why development does not occur when there is undernutrition.

Maths skills

1. Complete the pie chart for the way water is used in a High Income Country and Low Income Country.

Use of water High Income Country Low Income CountryFarming 30% 82%Industrial use (factories) 59% 10%Households 11% 8%

2. Describe the differences in the energy use between a High Income Country and a Low Income Country.

3. Explain the differences between the different uses of water.

Lesson 2: Food in the UK

As you know, food is an essential resource. In this lesson, we will be looking at the opportunities and challenges of the UK’s food supply!

How is the demand for food changing in the UK?

The UK’s population is increasing. By 2037, it is estimated the population of the UK will be around 73 million. This will increase the demand for food. Even though the UK has many farming jobs, the UK still has to import food. (Importing food is buying food from another country and it gets transported to the UK, e.g. avocado).

What is the impact of importing food?

Food can come from all around the world! Strawberries from Spain, lamb from New Zealand, prawns from Thailand, rice from India, beef from Brazil; these are all just a selection of products that are imported! The distance a product is transported is known as food miles.

Transporting food by air can be expensive, and importing food can add to our carbon footprint (the amount of carbon associated with our lifestyle – e.g. If Bertie eats bananas, those bananas had to be imported in by plane from Dominica. Flying food in planes emits lots of carbon dioxide, so we would say Bertie has a large carbon footprint.)

Why does the UK import so much food?

Food abroad is cheaper.

The UK climate is not suitable for the growth of cocoa, bananas and tea.

Demand for seasonal produce (like berries) all year round.

Demand for exotic foods and different

cuisines.

UK produce (food) can be expensive.

Picture A: A plane loading with food ready to be imported.

Importing high value foods

The growing of mangetout is Kenya’s biggest source of income. The cost of importing food by air to keep produce fresh is very high. UK customers are prepared to pay higher prices to have vegetables that are not in season.

Fruit and vegetables have seasons! For instance, strawberries grow in the summer, but not in the winter. Strawberries are grown in Spain in the winter where the climate is hotter. The strawberries are then imported during the winter so people can still buy them in the winter. As the strawberries are imported, their price is higher.

How is the UK responding to the challenges?

As you can see, there are most certainly challenges when importing food! Due to this, people have started to source food locally (e.g. buying food from local vegetable shops). Farming in the UK has also changed because of this:

Organic Produce – Food is grown without the use of chemicals. Organic food has become very popular. Organic food has had more labour (more time and care put in by farmers), so the price is higher. You will notice this when you go to supermarkets!

Riverford Organic Farms

Riverford Organic farms began as a organic farm in the countryside in Devon. It supplied local people with fresh boxes of food which was delivered weekly to keep it fresh. The farm now delivers boxes around the UK as they now have multiple farms around the country. The idea of this is to:

Reduce the food miles of vegetables. Support local farmers rather than supermarkets. Provide local people with employment.

Picture C: An advert for Riverford Organic farms.

Picture B: A picture of Kenyan sourced mangetout.

Lesson 2 – Questions:

1. Explain why the UK imports so much food.

2. What are the impacts of the UK importing food?

3. Explain how the UK is dealing with the challenge of importing food.

4. ‘Importing food great as customers have a choice of food.’ Do you agree with this statement? Justify your opinion.

5. How has foreign travel and migration affected the demand for food in the UK? Explain your answer.

Maths skills

1. Complete the pie chart to show the breakdown of the price of a tonne of imported mangetout.

Stage Price per tonne (£)

% of final price

Farmer 630 12

Exporter 290 6

Packaging 280 5

Air Freight 1040 20

Importer 620 12

Supermarket 2500 45

Total 5360 100

2. If a pack of mangetout costs £2 in a UK supermarket, how much does the producer receive?

3. How much money would the supermarket receive?

4. Why do you think the farmer receives such a small share of the retail price?

5. Do you think it is fair that farmers get a small share of the profit? Justify your answer.

Lesson 3: Water in the UK

What are the demands for water in the UK?

Think about all the ways you use water. From washing, drinking, flushing the toilet, cooking and bathing. Almost 50% of the UK’s water is used in households. The use of water is expected to rise due to three factors:

1. The growing population2. More houses being built3. An increase in appliances that use water, e.g. washing machines.

How far does the UK’s water supply meet the demand?

The main water sources in the UK are rivers, reservoirs and underground water supplies. The UK gets enough rain to supply the water demand, but the rain doesn’t always fall where it is needed!

The north and west of the UK have enough water to meet the demand. There is a relatively low population density (amount of people that live there) in the north and west, and it has enough rain.

The south and the east does not have enough water to meet demand. This part of the country has the highest population density, and not a lot of rainfall.

Managing and saving water

Saving water can help to manage water supplies. This can be done in multiple ways.

1. The use of water meters to see how much you are using.

Rainfall

Map A and B: UK rainfall (left) and population density (right). Notice how some of the most densely populated regions (London) have the least amount of rainfall.

2. Increasing the use of recycled water.3. More efficient household appliances (e.g. washing machines).

Wastewater from people’s home can be put to good use. It can be used to water plants. The minerals in the wastewater are an excellent source of nutrients for the plants.

Water transfer

An idea of transferring water was drafted and proposed by the government in 2006. The idea was that water could be transferred from areas of high rainfall, to areas with low rainfall with high population densities (like London). The idea was scrapped, and it never happened. There are good reasons for this:

The effect on the land and wildlife – river habitats would need to be protected. The high costs involved in the project. The greenhouse gases released over long distances.

Managing water quality

The quality of water is just as important as the quantity of water! Would you like to drink dirty water?

Much has been done to improve the quality of water in the UK’s rivers and water sources. The Environment Agency manages water by:

Monitoring the quality of river water. Filtering water to remove sediment (bits of sand and silt). Purifying water by adding chlorine. Restricting the use of recreational water use, e.g. swimming and fishing.

However, some underground water sources have lost their quality as a result of:

Contamination of the water from old mines. Contamination from industrial sites. Chemical fertilisers running into the water supply from farmland. Water used in some factories is put back into rivers.

Map C: The proposed water transfer scheme.

Lesson 3 – Questions

1. Describe the distribution of rainfall in the UK (map A).

2. Describe the population density of England (map B).

3. Explain the importance of managing water quality.

4. Explain how water can be managed in the UK.

5. ‘It was right to scrap the water transfer scheme. The environment is more important than the lack of water.’ Do you agree with this statement? Justify your answer.

6. Imagine you are a farmer living in an area where there is a lack of water. Investigate how water could help your business. Think about the impact on the environment too.

Maths skills

1. Complete the missing part of the grid for water that is used in households.2. Complete the pie chart for the way water is used in households.

Water usage PercentageToilet flushing 30%Bathing 20%Clothes washing 14%Showering 12%Kitchen sink and dishwasherLeaks 5%Other uses 12%Total 100%

Lesson 4: Energy in the UK

How is the UK’s energy demand changing?

Despite the demand for electricity in the UK, energy consumption has fallen in recent years. This is mainly due to the decline of heavy industry (e.g. steel work) and improved energy conservation. More fuel-efficient cars and better building insulation have also made the energy use fall.

How has the energy used in the UK changed?

Over time, the UK has used different fuels to get energy. In the 1990s, the UK mainly used coal to get their energy. Coal released lots of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide. In 2014, the amount of coal used was greatly decreased. In May 2019, the UK generated electricity for two weeks without even using coal!

How and why has the UK’s energy changed over time?

The UK used to be self-sufficient with its energy. That means all the oil and gas the UK used was drilled and owned by the UK. However, in recent years, the UK has had to import oil and gas as the UK is running out of its own supplies. This mean’s that the UK’s energy security is impacted.

The main change to how the UK has been using its energy is the use of coal. As previously mentioned, the UK once used a lot of coal. This has steadily decline over the years. Fossil fuels will remain important in the future. This is because:

The remaining fossil fuels can be used for decades. Shale gas deposits can be used in the future (fracking). Existing UK power stations use fossil fuels. Coal is cheap, meaning the UK can buy it abroad.

Diagram A: As you can see from diagram A, the use of energy has changed over time. Notice how coal has drastically decreased over time. The energy mix of the UK is now likely to be different to this.

The impacts of exploiting energy

Exploitation of energy can have economic and environmental impacts (impacts on money and the environment). The table below will focus on two energy sources which are being developed in the UK. These two energy resources are not fossil fuels.

Economic Impacts Environmental ImpactsNuclear Energy Nuclear power plants are

very expensive to build. They can cost up to £18 billion!

High costs for producing electricity.

Decommissioning old nuclear powerplants is expensive.

Construction provides job opportunities and boots the local economy.

The waste material is highly toxic and is radioactive.

Warm water from waste can damage local ecosystems.

There are risks of radioactive leaks or disasters, e.g. Chernobyl, 1986.

Wind Farms High construction costs. May have negative

impacts on tourism as people will not visit.

Some wind farms can even become tourist attractions.

Wind farms can lower energy costs for people in the UK.

Visual impacts on the landscape.

Wind farms avoid harmful gas emissions and help reduce carbon dioxide levels.

Wind turbines produce noise.

Lesson 4 – Questions:

1. Describe the change to the UK’s energy.

2. Which energy source saw the greatest decline from 1990 to 2003? (Use diagram A).

3. Suggest why renewable energy sources such as tidal and wave energy do not contribute a lot to the UK’s energy.

4. Explain why the energy the UK produces will include both non renewable fossil fuels, and renewable sustainable energy sources.

5. Categorise the impacts of wind farms and nuclear energy into positives and negatives.

6. Which alternative energy source (nuclear or wind farms) would be best for your local area? Justify your answer.

Lesson 5: Controversial Energy - Nuclear Disaster

What is nuclear energy?

Nuclear energy is the energy stored inside an atom by the forces that hold together the nucleus of the atom. Scientists have learned how to capture large amounts of energy from these forces that can then be used to generate electricity.

Diagram A: Diagram A shows how energy is released through atoms.

Why is nuclear energy controversial?

Nuclear energy is controversial (something that splits opinions) because of the drawbacks. Nuclear waste is the main drawback of nuclear power and is the remnants of the split uranium or other fuel and is highly unstable. It is radioactive so therefore is harmful to humans, animals and plants so consequently must be sealed up and contained for hundreds of years before it is safe to deposit into the environment. Exposure to radioactive materials can cause radiation sickness and cancer; therefore, protective layers must be worn. However, a lot of research is being put into either breaking it down into harmless substances or being able to store it safely, economically, subtly and for shorter periods of time.

Picture B: A scientist handling nuclear waste.

A case study of a nuclear disaster: Chernobyl, 1986.

Nuclear power has the potential to be extremely dangerous. If not properly managed or built, a nuclear power station could inflict radiation poisoning and the nuclear reactor, being very unstable, could explode. This would kill the workers there and emit radioactive fallout into the atmosphere.

This circumstance has occurred before in Chernobyl, in Ukraine on 26th April 1986. This is considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history. The nuclear reactor vessel ruptured during a sudden power surge and multiple explosions followed. A plume of radioactive fallout spread first over the nearby town of Pripyat, killing and severely poisoning all the citizens. The cloud then spread extensively over other areas of Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, contaminating the farmland, rivers and the natural environment. It also killed or harmed animals and humans. Over 350,000 people have been evacuated from areas at risk of contamination since the accident. The town of Pripyat is now a ghost town.

As of January 2018, 1.8 million people in Ukraine, including 377,589 children, had the status of victims of the disaster, according to Sushko and his colleagues. There has been a rapid increase in the number of people with disabilities among this population, rising from 40,106 in 1995 to 107,115 in 2018. Even now the Ukrainian government is paying benefits to 36,525 women who are considered to be widows of men who suffered as a result of the Chernobyl accident. Thousands of animals were slaughtered in order to stop the spread of radiation.

Picture C: Pripyat, a ghost town.

This accident has emphasised how important safety needs to be in a nuclear power station, as even a slight malfunction can be catastrophic. However, despite rare accidents, nuclear power stations are relatively safe nowadays and everything is taken with extreme precaution.

Picture D: The aftermath of the explosion in Chernobyl’s reactor.

Lesson 5 – Questions:

1. Describe the location of Chernobyl. Remember to use country, continents and compass direction!

2. Explain why nuclear energy is controversial.

3. Suggest why some UK areas are using nuclear energy rather than fossil fuels.

4. Suggest the economic impacts of a nuclear disaster.

5. Suggest the social impacts of the nuclear disaster (the impacts on the people).

6. Could anything have been done to change the outcome of the nuclear disaster? Explain your answer.

7. Are you for or against nuclear energy? Explain your answer.

8. ‘Even though Chernobyl was the worst nuclear disaster in history, nuclear energy is still better than fossil fuels.’ Argue this statement. You must argue both for and against it in two separate paragraphs.