SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES

SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES

DEFINITIONS

• RESOURCE: Any commodity (raw material) that can be used to create other products.

Commodities that are useful to us.

Commodities that can be used to make money

An element found on Earth that is used to sustain or improve one’s life.

DEFINITIONS

• NATURAL RESOURCES:

– Any resource that can be found naturally on (or in) the Earth.

DEFINITIONS

• SUSTAINABLE:

– On-going

– Never ending

– Easily replenished, if used sparingly

RENEWABLE AND NON RENEWABLE RESOURCES

• RENEWABLE RESOURCE

– Are easily replenished with proper management

– EG: Water

Air

Wood

• NON RENEWABLE

– Resources that may eventually run out

– Resources that take millions of years to replenish

– EG: Coal

Oil

Gold

RENEWABLE AND NON RENEWABLE RESOURCES

RENEWABLE

Water

Wood

Air

Fish

Livestock

Solar energy

Wind

NON RENEWABLE

Coal

Oil

Natural gas

Gold

Silver

Titanium

Iron ore

Platinum (PGM)

Soil

NON RENEWABLE RESOURCES CASE STUDY: OIL

• Oil is a fossil fuel, meaning it is derived from decomposing organic matter – carbon based.

• Oil eventually becomes trapped between rock layers and may then be drilled and pumped to the surface.

• This is known as conventional oil.

• Only 30% of world reserves are conventional oil.

SASOL: OIL FROM COAL

• Sasol, a South African company, are pioneers in the oil-from-coal process

• Up to 25% of fuel in South Africa is derived through this process

• As coal is still abundant in South Africa, we should be able to continue with this process for many years to come.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• Your Carbon Footprint 1. Identify ALL natural resources used in a day. Trace each back to its source –

eg: Toast – Wheat

2. What impact do each of these resources have on the environment?

3. Where the impact was negative, is there an alternative resource that could be used?

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

• REDUCE:

• REUSE:

• RECYCLE:

REDUCE

• This refers mainly to the reduction of waste products:

– Purchasing items with less

packaging (fresh fruit and veg from a market)

– Cutting down on motor vehicle use – better planning. Walk and bike when possible

– Composting organic material, eg: vegetable peels

REUSE

• Try to find inventive ways to reuse everyday items that would ordinarily be discarded.

– Plastic shopping bags

– Plastic containers – eg: margarine or ice cream containers

RECYCLE

Recycling Bins Recycling

• Many household waste products can be separated and then recycled, cutting down on waste at the landfill : – Paper

– Glass

– Cans

– Wood

RECYCLE AND REUSE PROJECTS

RECYCLE AND REUSE PROJECTS

BEFORE: SHIPPING PALLET AFTER: HERB GARDEN

THE IMPACT OF RESOURCE USE ON THE ENVIRONMENT

• Very often the use of resources may have a negative effect on the environment.

• These effects include the much vaunted issues of Global Warming, Acid Rain and Environmental Degradation.

• Economic growth and development often has to be carefully weighed up against the ultimate environmental costs that these developments may bring.

GLOBAL WARMIMG

10 INDICATORS OF GLOBAL WARMING

EFFECTS OF GLOBAL WARMING

• Glaciers may melt

• Rise in sea levels

• Climate change: – More frequent storms

(eg: hurricane intensity may increase)

– Certain areas receive less rain and drought may occur

– Certain areas experience more rainfall - flooding

ACID RAIN FORMATION

ACID RAIN

FORMATION

• Sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide and other gases are released into the atmosphere

• These gases combine with rainwater to form acids.

• This acidic rain may fall up to 3000km from the point of origin.

EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN

• Acids in lakes kill fish

• Soil quality is affected

• Crops and trees damaged

• Respiratory problems

• Buildings, statues and other statues are damaged

EFFECTS OF ACID RAIN

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• Sustainable development refers to responsible management of resources in such a way that:

– One is able to meet the needs of today

– One is able to conserve resources for future generations

– The environmental impact is kept to a minimum.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

• Some ideas towards creating a sustainable world: – Creating and conserving protected areas

– Renewable energy sources

– Community involvement

– Environmentally friendly new developments

– Enforce the law!

– Limit pollution

– Save and recycle

RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

CURRENT ENERGY TRENDS

• In South Africa the majority of our electricity is supplied by burning coal at thermal power stations. – Coal is abundant and

relatively cheap, and an efficient source of energy

– Steps need to be taken to ensure sustainable, clean energy is used in the future.

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCES

SOLAR POWER


WIND POWER


GEOTHERMAL POWER


BIOMASS


HYDROPOWER


NUCLEAR???


TIDAL POWER

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY SOURCES RENEWABLE RESOURCES

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Renewable energies are renewable, or almost infinite sources of energy

• You can’t always rely on a consistent source of energy.

• It is clean energy, most renewable energies do not negatively effect the environment. (Nuclear energy perhaps being one major exception)

• Geographic locations and atmospheric conditions directly relate to efficiency of energy.

• The more technology grows, the easier these energies will be able to be harnessed by the individual, perhaps saving lots of money on electric bills.

• Limitations in current technology makes for high start-up costs which significantly reduces the amount of people switching to more renewable sources.

• Very low maintenance costs, which will make renewable energy affordable for the individual.

• Each individual renewable energy source will have its own limitations. Could be geographical, or atmospheric

SUSTAINABLE USE OF RESOURCES

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