Resource Issues

1
Chapter 14

• Resource Issues

2
Resource

• Any material present in the natural environment
  that can be practically used by people
• Technologically feasible
• Socially acceptable

3

• Renewable resources resources that can be
  naturally replenished
• Examples
• Renewable resources can be finite in quality and
  quantity can be overused
• Non-renewable resources resources that once
  used, cannot be replaced
• Examples

4
Energy resources

• Renewable energy replaced continually solar
  energy, hydroelectricity, geothermal, wind,
  fusion
• Non-renewable energy fossil fuels, nuclear
  energy

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Energy resources

• Fossil fuel residue of plants and animals
  buried millions of years ago (petroleum, natural
  gas, and coal)
• Reserves the amount of energy remaining in
  deposits that have been discovered

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Resource Depletion

• Energy resources
• Fossil fuel supply
• Distribution of fossil fuels
• Control of world petroleum
• Nonrenewable substitutes
• Mineral resources
• Nonmetallic minerals
• Metallic minerals

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U.S. Energy Consumption1850-2005
Fig. 14-1 U.S. energy consumption grew rapidly
in the 1950s and 1960s, but the rate of growth
has slowed since then. Energy from petroleum and
natural gas have grown more rapidly than coal,
especially since the 1960s.
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Energy consumption

• U.S. 5 of worlds population, 22 of energy
  consumption
• China 20 of worlds population, 13 of energy
  consumption (now 2nd largest consumer)
• LDCs share of world energy consumption rose from
  27 in 1990 to 40 in 2005

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Outlook for World Petroleum Production (to 2030)
Fig. 14-2 As production from current proven
reserves declines, other petroleum sources are
likely to be developed.
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The Alaska Pipeline
The Alaska pipeline transports petroleum from
northern Alaska.
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Coal Production, 2004
Fig. 14-3a China and the U.S. are the worlds
largest coal producers. Little coal is produced
in most of Africa, the Middle East, and some of
Latin America.
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Coal Reserves
Fig. 14-3b The U.S., Russia, China, and India
have the largest proven reserves of coal.
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Petroleum Production, 2004
Fig. 14-4a Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the U.S.
are the worlds largest petroleum producers.
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Petroleum Reserves
Fig. 14-4b The majority of the worlds known
petroleum reserves are in the Middle East. Saudi
Arabia has largest known reserves. Canada may
have the second largest reserves when the oil
sands of western Canada are included.
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Natural Gas Production
Fig. 14-5a Russia, the U.S. and Canada are the
worlds largest natural gas producers.
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Natural Gas Reserves
Fig. 14-5b Russia has the worlds largest
natural gas reserves. Iran and other Mid-Eastern
countries have large reserves, but the U.S. has
relatively little.
17
Per Capita Energy Consumption
Fig. 14-6a Energy consumption per person in MDCs
is far larger than in LDCs. The U.S. and Canada
have the highest levels of per capita energy
consumption.
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World Energy Consumption
Fig. 14-6b The U.S., with about 5 of world
population, consumes about 22 of world energy.
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U.S. Gas Lines, 1973
The OPEC oil embargo in 1973 led to long gas
lines at American gas stations.
20
U.S. Gasoline Prices, 1950-2006
Fig. 14-7 When adjusted for inflation, the price
of gasoline has been around 1.50 for most of the
last 50 years, with the exception of the early
1980s and the last few years.
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U.S. Oil Imports, 1973 2005
Fig. 14-8 U.S. oil imports increased from about
30 to over 40 of consumption between 1973 and
2005. Total consumption also increased 50 over
the period.
22
Coal Production in China
A coal cart in Bagon village, Sichuan Province,
China.
23
Nuclear Power Production
Fig. 14-9a Nuclear power as a percent of total
electricity. Several European countries as well
as South Korea rely most heavily on nuclear power.
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Uranium Reserves
Fig. 14-9b Uranium reserves are widely
distributed. Australia and Kazakhstan have the
largest known reserves.
25
Nuclear Power in the U.S., 2005
Fig. 14-10 Location of current nuclear power
plants in the U.S. and nuclear power as a percent
of total electricity in U.S. states.
26
Elements in the Earths Crust
Fig. 14-11 Oxygen and silicon are the most
abundant elements in the Earths crust.
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Mineral Production
Fig. 14-12 Production of ferrous and non-ferrous
metals and non-metallic minerals. Australia and
China are leading producers of several important
minerals.
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Pollution

• Air pollution
• Global-scale air pollution
• Regional-scale air pollution
• Local-scale air pollution
• Water pollution
• Water pollution sources
• Impact on aquatic life
• Wastewater and disease
• Land pollution
• Solid waste disposal
• Toxic pollutants

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Global Temperatures, 1880-2002
Fig. 14-13 Annual mean temperatures have
increased almost 1 C. since 1880.
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Global warming

• Is it human induced?
• Greenhouse effect gases (carbon dioxide
  especially) discharged by the atmosphere trap
  some of the radiation emitted by the earths
  surface
• Consequences of global warming?

31
Acid Deposition
Fig. 14-14 Due to prevailing winds, the highest
sulfate deposit levels in North America lie east
of the emission sources. Deposit levels in
eastern Germany are higher than in the U.S.
32
Damaged Forests, Czech Republic
Acid precipitation has killed many trees in the
forests of the Czech Republic.
33
Mexico City Smog
Mexico City has many vehicles and is located in a
mountain basin that limits dispersion of air
pollutants.
34
Mexico City on a Clear Day
The same view as the previous slide, looking
south from Paseo de la Reforma, on a clear day.
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Local-scale Air Pollution

• Carbon monoxide (power plants and vehicles
• Hydrocarbons (improper fuel combustion, paint
  solvents evaporation) - results in
  petrochemical smog
• Particulates smoke and dust particles
  (factories and trucks)

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Aral Sea, 2003
Fig. 14-2.1 The Aral Sea in the former Soviet
Union has shrunk dramatically in area and volume
due to extensive diversion of water for
irrigation.
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Aral Sea, 1975
Fig. 14-2.2 The Aral Sea was the worlds fourth
largest lake in 1960
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Aral Sea, 1989
Fig. 14-2.3 Large scale irrigation from the
rivers feeding the Aral Sea led to its steady
decline.
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Solid Waste Sources, before after recycling
Fig. 14-15 Paper products are the largest part
of U.S. solid waste, followed by food and yard
waste. Recycling can reduce solid waste
considerably.
40
Sanitary Landfill in Cincinnati
This large sanitary landfill is the destination
for the solid waste of Cincinnati, Ohio and the
surrounding area.
41
Garbage Dump outside São Paolo, Brazil
Poor children pick through the garbage dump for
items that can be sold.
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Renewing Recycling Resources

• Renewing resources
• Renewable energy sources
• Solar energy
• Uses for renewable energy
• Recycling resources
• Recycling collection
• Other pollution reduction strategies
• Comparing pollution reduction strategies

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Hydroelectricity Production
Fig. 14-16 Percent of electricity from
hydroelectric power. Many countries in South
America and Africa depend heavily on
hydroelectric power.
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The Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in
China will be the worlds largest dam when it is
completed. It has had many environmental impacts.
45

• What are some possible drawbacks of hydroelectric
  power?

46
U.S. Wind Power Potential
Fig. 14-17 Winds are strong enough to support
substantial wind power generation in the U.S.
Plains as well as other regions in some of the
East and much of the West.
47
Wind Turbines in Spain
A wind farm in Tarifa, Andalucia, Spain.
48
Solar Energy in Zimbabwe
A demonstration solar-powered oven used to cook
food in Zimbabwe.
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Recycling Waste Products
50
Pollution Reduction at a Coking Plant
Fig. 14-18 A coking plant illustrates
alternatives for reducing pollution, including
recycling discharges reducing waste discharges
and increasing environmental capacity.
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Resource Conservation

• Sustainable development
• Sustainability and economic growth
• Critics of sustainability
• Biodiversity
• Biological and geographic biodiversity
• Biodiversity in the tropics

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Sustainable development

• Development that meets the needs of the present
  without compromising the ability of future
  generations to meet their own needs (United
  Nations)
• Involves limiting use of renewable resources
• Considers environmental impacts of development
• Also takes into account issues of social equity

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Pollution and National Wealth
Fig. 14-19 Sulfur dioxide emissions in relation
to national income suggest that discharges
increase and then decline as development and
wealth increase.