UNIT 5 RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

WHAT IS THE ENVIRONMENT?

The environment is anything around us. It includes the natural physical surroundings where people,
plants and animals live.If resources are misused they can be used up or they may harm the
environment. It is important that resources are used sensibly and the environment is protected for
the future. This needs careful planning and management.

Why should we learn about the environment?

1. To understand how we use the earth’s resources

2. To recognize the need to recycle waste and reduce energy consumption.
3. Appreciate the need to protect and conserve wildlife and scenery
4. Develop an interest in your scenery

Key concepts:
Resources are natural materials which are useful to people and occur naturally. They include coal,
iron ore, clean water, soil, trees, mountains, wildlife, and beaches.

Pollution happens when people harm or destroy the natural environment.

Conservation is the protection of resources for future use. When people use resources carefully
and protect the environment.

Sustainable development is limiting damage to the environment.

Planning and management is when people use resources without spoiling the environment.
Planning and management reduces conflict between groups of people and between people and
the environment

ORGANISATIONS THAT CARE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Some types of environment need special protection. These environments include areas of
attractive countryside, wildlife habitats and historic sites. Some of these environments are looked
after by government bodies, while others are protected by voluntary conservation groups.

1. The government of a country

2. The Forestry Commission
3. Natural England
4. The National Trust
5. English Heritage
6. Woodland Trust
7. Rspb (The Royal society for the Protection of Birds)
8. Environment Agency
9. GREENPEACE
WHY WILDLIFE SHOULD BE PROTECTED

Extinction is the dying out or disappearance of a species from earth. Endangered species refer to
wildlife including animals, plants, birds and fish that are in danger of becoming extinct.

Many species of wildlife have become rare and are threatened with extinction. Others have
already become extinct. Some extinct wildlife include the following:

Some Why They Are What Has Been Done

Endangered Endangered
Species
Elephants in Hunted for their Conservation group WWF(World Wide Fund for Nature)
Kenya ivory set up a convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species. In 1990, it led to a world ban on trading in Ivory

Giant panda Habitat loss due In the 1990s, several laws (including gun control and the
to infrastructure removal of resident humans from panda reserves).
development Improved conservation methods from endangered to least
concern.
The Blue Whale Hunted almost to The International Whaling Commission banned all blue
the point of whale hunting in 1966.
extinction
by whalers

Why Some Species Have Become Extinct

 Habitat destruction  Invasive species

 Disease  Hunting pollution
 Climate change  Low birth rate
 Fishing
 HOW INDUSTRY POLLUTES THE ENVIRONMENT

1. Air pollution- Burning fossil fuels from cars, factories etc. pollute the air, leading to the formation
of acid rain which kills trees and fish. It also leads to lungs disease and climate change.

2. Water pollution- Huge oil spills in oceans, waste materials from factories, human garbage all
contribute to the pollution o f water bodies. This may lead to the death of ocean wildlife.

3. Soil pollution
4. Human health
5. The destruction of wildlife
6. Visual
7. Smell
8. Noise

How to reduce industrial pollution

1. Education
2. Use of renewable energy
3. Laws and enforcement

How environments can get damaged.

 Quarrying  Burning fossil fuels
 Overpopulation  Deforestation
 Pollution

Ways to improve damaged environments

The collection of natural resources can harm the landscape , affect the people and wildlife.
Attempts to improve damaged landscapes can be successful but may be expensive and take a
long time.
Two ways we can improve environmental damage are re-afforestation and re-filling old quarry
sites.
 RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES

Resources can be defined as materials or products that we find useful. Natural resources are
materials that we take from the environment. They include physical resources (scenery, soils,
water) and raw materials (minerals and fuel).

Categories of Resources
Resources can be categorized under renewable and non-renewable resources.

Renewable resources are natural resources that when used, can be easily replenished through
natural processes. Examples of renewable energy include wind, tidal energy, geothermal energy,
water, solar and wave energy.

Non-renewable resources are considered as natural resources that cannot be replaced after use,
within a short period of time. Examples are oil, natural gas, nuclear energy and coal.

Benefits of using renewable resources

1. Less global warming
2. Improved public health
3. Inexhaustible energy
4. Stable energy prices

Effects of using non-renewable resources

1. They are a finite resource. Fossil fuels are coal, oil, and natural gas.
2. They pollute the environment.
3. They are unreliable.
4. They damage the earth.
5. Residual products are generally non-biodegradable.

ELECTRICITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

Most of Britain’s electricity is produced in thermal power stations. Thermal power is when
electricity is produced using heat. This heat is obtained by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil or
natural gas. Using coal, oil and natural gas are the cheapest ways to produce electricity, but they
also cause the most pollution.
Some Effects of Using Thermal Power
 Extracting coal, oil and natural gas can spoil the landscape and destroy other resources
 Coal leaves large amounts of waste ash when it is burnt
 Burning fossil fuels produce harmful gases which can lead to acid rain, and increased world
temperatures. This is called global warming.
 Building chimneys and cooling towers are ugly and take up large amounts of land
 Water is released form the cooling towers into rivers. This warm/hot water can kill fish
 Pylons are unsightly and living close to power line may cause health problems

How Pollution Can Be Reduced

 Replacing coal with oil and natural gas
 Develop ways to reduce emissions of harmful gases.
 Use of renewable types of energy to produce electricity

How Can We Conserve Resources?

One way of conserving resources is through sustainable development. Sustainable development
is a way of improving people’s quality of life without wasting resources or harming the environment.
This helps protect natural resources for the future.

Some ways to conserve non-renewable resources

 Reduce consumption
This means using fewer resources and being less wasteful
 Increase efficiency
This means using resources in the best possible way
 Recycle
This involves re-using materials rather than dumping them

Ways students can conserve resources

 Switch off the smart board when finished
 Only buy recycled paper and notebooks
 Take a shower instead of having a bath
 Say no to extra packaging in shops
 Use both sides of a sheet of paper
 Commute by bus instead of a car
 Switch of TV when not in use
 Take old clothes for recycling
 Only print off the computer what you really need

Why is soil an important resource?

What is soil?
Soil is a thin layer on the surface of the earth. Soil is formed in two stages. Weathering of solid
rock and when air and water is added to the weathered material, allowing plants to grow.

Importance of soil
 Without soil, nothing will live or grow. The loss of soil is known as soil erosion.
Soil erosion is the washing away by rain or blowing away by strong winds, of soil.

Causes of soil erosion

 Soil erosion happens easily on steep slopes with little vegetation
 Overgrazing of land by animals
 Over-cultivation of crops on single piece of land
 Up-and-down-hill ploughing
 Deforestation

Effects of Soil Erosion

 Soil loss from farmland stops food production
 Sudden flash floods as water flows quickly over bare ground
 Marshes form as lakes fill with eroded soils
 Buildings covered with dust blown by wind
 Rivers get chocked with eroded soil
 Landscapes get spoiled by gullies
 Land becomes desert and unusable
 Dust storms form from loose soil

Importance of Forest Conservation

Forest conservation is the activity of planning and conserving forested regions for future
generations’ benefit and sustainability. However, a lot of forests are under threat from activities of
deforestation. One such area is the Brazilian Rainforest.

Deforestation is the process in which large areas of forest lands are cleared for various human
activities. In Brazil, deforestation has resulted from both the activities of the Brazilian government
and large international companies.

Causes of Deforestation in the Brazilian Rainforest

Brazilian government International Companies
 Roads  Cattle ranching
 People  logging
 Hydroelectric power stations  Mineral extraction
Adverse Effects of Deforestation in Brazil On:
-The Ecosystem
Wildlife habitats are destroyed
Exportable trees are endangered
Death of wildlife
Trees that cannot be exported are burnt
Medicinal plants are destroyed

-Soils
Soil erosion occurs
Inability to grow food or other crops

-Amerindians
The indigents of the rainforest, Amerindians have died in large quantities as a result of exposure to
western diseases.
Loss of their culture and traditions
Loss of land to new developments

-Climate change
Burnt trees contribute significantly to climate change as carbon(a greenhouse gas) is released into
the atmosphere.