© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Chapter 14: Resource Issues
The Cultural Landscape: An Introduction to Human Geography
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Per Capita Energy Consumption
Figure 14-1
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
U.S. Energy Consumption
Figure 14-2
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Outlook for World Petroleum Production
Figure 14-3
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Coal Production
Figure 14-4
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Proven Reserves of Fossil Fuels
Figure 14-5
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Global Warming
Figure 14-15
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Acid Deposition in North America & Europe
Figure 14-18
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Smog in Mexico City
Figure 14-19
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Why Are Resources Being Polluted?
• Water pollution– Sources
• Agriculture• Water-using industries• Municipal uses
– Impact on aquatic life• Biochemical oxygen demand• Wastewater and disease
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Why Are Resources Being Polluted?
• Renewing resources– Nuclear energy
• Potential accidents• Radioactive wastes• Bomb material• Limited uranium reserves• High cost
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Percentage of Electricity Generated from Nuclear Power
Figure 14-23
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Electricity From Hydroelectric Power
Figure 14-26
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Sources of Solid Waste
Figure 14-30
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
A Coking Plant
Figure 14-32
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Sustainable Development
Figure 14-33
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
Pollution Compared to a Country’s Wealth
Figure 14-34
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
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
© 2011 Pearson Education, Inc.
The End.
Top Related