MANAGING RESOURCES

The Earth has a wide range of natural resources that are essential for our day-to-day life.
Over time we have increasingly relied on these natural resources. For instance the
Industrial Revolution only really occurred due to the harnessing of steam power, from
burning coal to heat water. This was the beginning of huge increase in the use of the
Earth's natural resources.

The cars that you and your parents drive rely on petrol, made from oil.

Of course the biggest, and most important resource, is food. This is also the route of
some of the major problems in the world.

The big problem in the world is that the population is rapidly increasing; it reached 6
billion last year. All these people put pressure on the resources of the world, which in
some cases are insufficient, and in some cases are rapidly running out. Consequently it is
vitally important to try to conserve these resources, and find suitable others to replace or
supplement them.

Resources can be easily divided into two sections: Renewable and Non-renewable. These
are detailed in the next section, but it is the decline of the non-renewable resources that
are perhaps causing the most concern.

Renewable resources

Renewable resources are ones that will never run out, either naturally or through good
management.

Naturally re-occurring resources include the wind, waves, air and the sun. All of these
things are naturally occurring and will never run out (or not until humans have long since
died out!). They can all be used for human benefit and are becoming increasingly important
in the search for alternative energy sources. However, recently, some of these have been
affected by human actions, such as the burning of the rainforests polluting the
atmosphere.

Some natural resources need some degree of management to allow them to be renewable.
Forests are one good example of this. The Tropical Rainforests are being rapidly wiped
out, and the natural vegetation destroyed in places like the Amazon rainforest. It has very
little chance of growing back. However many countries do now have forestry schemes
which include wide-scale replanting so that there are similar numbers of trees for future
generations to use. These trees tend to be quick growing coniferous softwoods like fir and
pine, rather than the slow growing deciduous hardwoods like mahogany and teak.

Other natural resources that need some for of control and management to remain
sustainable are things such as soil, water, fish and wildlife. All are renewable, as long as
they are not over-used or exploited by humans.
Non-renewable resources

Non-renewable resources are ones that will eventually run out. They are described as
being finite and can be easily divided into two groups. Fossil Fuels are the first group of
non-renewable.

Fossil Fuels are the first group of non-renewable resources. These include oil, coal and
natural gas, which will all run out in the future. Unfortunately humans have greatly
increased their use of these fuels over the past 200 years, which has led to them
potentially running out quite soon.

Although fossil fuels have been produced naturally, their formation takes millions of
years, so there is no real chance of making any more. They all are the result of the
decomposition of plants or animals, which over time have been compressed by sediments
layered down on top of them.

We have not discovered all the coal, oil and natural gas deposits in the world, but they are
becoming increasingly hard to find and then to exploit. The oil companies looking for new
deposits spend millions of pounds every year, but it is a very difficult process.

There are many estimates for how long fossil fuels will last. The trouble is that we don't
really know how much more we might find, or whether we will find more efficient was of
using the fuel in the future.

One estimate suggests that:

Most oil reserves in the world will run out within the next 50 years. The one exception
might be some of the oil-rich Arab states, which should be able to continue production for
a further 50 years. However the decreasing availability of oil, as well as the continuing
need for it may well see the price rising to a point where it is not economically viable to
use it.

Coal reserves are expected to last over 300 years. This estimate has consistently
increased over the past few years as more fuel-efficient methods of using coal have been
introduced and better technology has allowed mines to go further underground. This trend
may well continue with future developments.
m

Natural gas is becoming increasingly used as an alternative fuel to coal or oil, and the
latest estimates suggest that there is enough remaining for approximately another 125
years. This estimate may of course decrease if the increase in its use continues.

The fact that these natural resources are running out has meant that alternative forms of
energy are having to be developed. The two most widely used are nuclear energy and
hydro-electric power. Although nuclear energy does rely on a finite natural resource
(uranium, plutonium or other similar minerals), it uses so little that there is very little
chance of the reserves running out. The other group of non-renewable resources are
minerals. Theses include valuable stones such as diamonds, but more importantly deposits
of iron ore (used in the steel making process) and bauxite (used in aluminium manufacture).
Again these resources are finite and have been extensively used over the past 200 years.

The Level of a Country's Development:

The level of development that a country has reached can directly affect which natural
resources they use, and how.

Less developed countries, where primary industries still dominate, don't consume a great
deal of energy resources compared to more developed countries. However they do exploit
other natural resources in order to try to gain more money and begin on the path to
economic development.

Examples of this are the exploitation and cutting down of the tropical rainforests in
Brazil. The people have seen the value of selling the trees to countries such as Japan.
They are also exploiting their natural mineral reserves, and exporting those abroad also.

Some of the poorest nations do not have access to many natural resources but often will
rely on one for the livelihood of the country.

Countries that are more developed, and can be described as industrialised, are the primary
consumers of most of the fossil fuel resources of the world. Their industries require huge
amounts of natural resources, which are often imported from the less developed countries.
Population growth:

The population of the world is growing at an amazing rate. Last year it reached 6 billion,
having only passed 2 billion in 1927 and 4 billion in 1974.

This swift growth has put the resources of the world under pressure. Most of the major
growth has occurred in developing countries in places like Africa, where the pressure on
food resources is intense.

The UK has seen very little population growth over the past 25 years, meaning that we do
not suffer the same problems that the countries of the developing world do, in terms of
producing enough food for the population.
The lack of sufficient food places great pressure on the resources of that country, and
means that if, as in Ethiopia in the 1980's, the harvest is poor because the rains fail,
hundreds of thousands of people could starve to death.

The increasing pressure on the resources of the world because of the rapid population
growth and economic development has meant that management of resources has become
imperative. Management can take a number of forms, some of which are explored in
detail here:

The finite nature of fossil fuels has led to the development of alternative energy
producing methods. Although not strictly a method of renewable energy, nuclear power
was seen during the 1960's and 1970's as the perfect answer to the problem. Accidents,
such as Chernobyl, and the danger of radioactive leaks have meant that now other energy
forms are being sought. The most commonly used one is hydroelectric power, whilst wind
power, solar power and geothermal energy have all been successfully harnessed on a
smaller scale.

Conservation of resources is a vital part of management. This includes natural resources

such as areas of scenic beauty as well as the efficient use of things like minerals and
forests.

Resource substitution is where easily re-usable materials are used rather than the original
materials. It comes under the banner of conservation.

Recycling is a vitally important part of the management of natural resources.

Pollution Controls have been introduced to try to reduce emissions from the use of fossil
fuels and other natural resources. They have been heavily polluting other natural
resources such as the atmosphere and the oceans, causing problems from a local to global
scale.
Renewable Energy

Hydroelectric Power

Running water, either directly from a fast flowing river, or usually from a river that has
been dammed, turns turbines in the power station. These turn generators that produce
electricity that is then fed into the national system. Hydroelectric power (HEP) only
forms about 8% of the world's energy production, but some countries rely on it almost
exclusively. It has been introduced to developing countries, such as Brazil and Ghana; to
help their industrial growth as well as being used in more developed countries like Norway
and New Zealand.

Requirements: The only requirement is a suitable, fast flowing river and an area to flood
with the reservoir that is formed behind the dam. HEP schemes have to be in areas of
consistently good rainfall.

Advantages: It is a relatively cheap form of energy production, once the initial costs of
building the dam have been met. The water can be used for other purposes as it just flows
through the turbines and out the other side. It produces very little pollution. The
reservoirs provide areas that can be used for tourism development. The dams can help to
control the flood risk further down the river.

Disadvantages: Not every country has suitable sites for the dam and reservoir. The
reservoir may flood towns and villages, causing lots of people to have to re-locate. It may
also flood prime valley-floor farmland. The dams are not things of particular beauty and so
may spoil the natural environment.
Wind Power
Wind power is being harnessed using massive modern wind turbines. In the past windmills
have been used for power in places like Holland, but these new ones are quite different in
shape. They stand approximately 25-30 metres high, and are made of fibreglass. Wind
Farms have been set up, like the one at Delabole in Cornwall, in many areas of the UK. Very
simply the wind turns the turbine, which turns a generator, which produces electricity.

Requirements: Exposed hilltops are the usual location for a wind farm. They need
somewhere with a fairly constant supply of wind, so many in the UK are located either on
the coast or in high moorland. With the exception of three, they are all towards the West
of the country because the prevailing winds blow from the southwest.

Advantages: Wind farms are cheap to run and produce very little pollution. Wind turbines
take up very little space on the ground, so the land around them could still potentially be
farmed.
Disadvantages: They are fairly costly to set up. They produce only a small amount of
electricity, although that is improving. The wind does not necessarily blow all the time.
They are eyesores, spoiling the natural environment of the area. They can be noisy,
disturbing local people. They disrupt TV signals in the area.

Solar Power

Solar panels are used to convert the energy from the sun into power.

Requirements: The most obvious one is that you need the sun. Countries like Australia are
perfect for solar power as there is a fairly high chance of prolonged sunshine. The UK
would not be so suitable. Many developing countries in Africa could potentially make good
use of solar power.

Advantages: It is a limitless supply of energy, that is completely pollution free. It is a

very efficient form of energy production.

Disadvantages: You need the sunny conditions. It is expensive to set up and at the moment
really can only produce a minimal amount of energy. Winter, when more energy is needed,
does not have as much sun as the summer.

Geothermal Power

Countries like New Zealand and Iceland have exploited their natural resources to use
geothermal energy. Water is piped down in to the ground in areas where volcanic activity is
close to the surface. The water is heated and turns to steam. This is then used to turn
turbines, which turn generators and produce power.

Requirements: There is only one main requirement, and that is that the area must be one
where volcanic activity means that the rock near the surface is heated. If this occurs, the
being beside a river is beneficial because of the need for water.

Advantages: It is a completely renewable source of energy, using only the heat of the
Earth and water. It is pollution free and does not change with the season, as some of the
other sources do.

Disadvantages: It is a very costly form of energy to set up. A volcanic area is needed.
Volcanic areas are susceptible to not just eruptions, but also earthquakes, so the power
station may be in a dangerous area.
Conservation and Resource Substitution

As stated before the conservation of resources is a vital part of resource management.

Schemes include national conservation plans for areas of natural beauty and importance,
like wetlands and coral reefs. However they also include smaller scale schemes where
people are educated in how to help conserve resources. Things like saving water, switching
off lights to save energy, and education about how to treat the countryside all help to look
after the resources of the world.

Forestry is one industry where the conservation of resources is very important. In some
countries the natural wood resources are exploited, never to be replaced. However an
increasing amount of countries are introducing schemes to re-forest areas once the trees
have been cut down, so that they can be harvested again once they have grown. These are
fast growing coniferous trees that take only about 25 years to reach maturity.

Conserving and managing fishing stocks is also a very important management issue. Over
fishing an area can mean that there will be a declining number of fish every year. By
introducing fish quota's, saying how much each boat can catch each year, and by
introducing rules about not fishing during the spawning season, fish stocks should be able
to be conserved.

Recycling is a vitally important part of the management of natural resources. Bottle banks,
paper and tin recycling are all common features of our lives now, and they all help conserve
the resources of the world. There are many other natural products that can be recycled
and the more that there are, the better for the remaining natural resources.

Pollution control

Pollution Controls have been introduced to try to reduce emissions from the use of fossil
fuels and other natural resources. They have been heavily polluting other natural
resources such as the atmosphere and the oceans, causing problems from a local to global
scale.

Fossil Fuel power stations release harmful carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which adds
to the greenhouse effect. They also contribute emissions to acid rain. Controlling pollution
like this has to be done on a government level, and in the UK tough new controls on the
amounts of pollution allowed by power stations have been introduced.

Cars are one of the worst polluters in the world, giving off a variety of harmful gases,
including carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. There are more and more cars on the roads
and this trend will surely continue. Not only do cars pollute, but they also use up the oil
reserves of the world. Initiatives to make cars cleaner and more fuel efficient have been
introduced relatively successfully, for instance all new cars now have to have catalytic
converters. The problem is that all of these things add to the price of the car, and the
manufacturer doesn't want to put the prices up because they may lose customers. It is a
difficult balance.