The environment as a resource

Study section 2.2 EM p 131

 Resource
• DEF.: Quantities that can be reduced by the
activity of the organism.

• DEF.: A supply of something that can be of

use or has a value for humans.

• Nothing is a resource unless someone decides

there is a need for it.
• Essential resources • Substitutable
resources
• Resources that can’t be
replaced by other • When 1 resource can
resources. completely substitute
another resource without
• Ex. Plants need Nitrogen affecting the organism.
and Potassium during
growth • Not necessarily meaning
• Plasmodium needs the that the two resources are
mosquito as a vector to as good as each other, but
conclude its life cycle the lack of this resource
won’t affect it negatively.

• Zebra and Gazelle in lion

diet - Zebra larger, more
food, less hunting.
 Utilization of resources
• Extracting the resources and utilising the
resources are both dependent on the
availability of energy.

• Energy is also a limited resource --- limiting

factor
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•DEMANDING ELECTRICITY!
•DEMANDING SHELTER!
 •ENERGY INEFFICIENT SHELTERS!

•SEWAGE IN THE STREETS!

•DEMANDING TOILETS!
ALTERNATIVES
•WHICH ENERGY, WATER & SHELTER
TECHNOLOGIES ARE HARMFUL AND SHOULD BE
REPLACED?

•WHICH ENERGY, WATER & SHELTER

TECHNOLOGIES ARE USEFUL/SUSTAINABLE AND
SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED?

•IMAGINE THE FUTURE!

RENEWABLE
ENERGY
ENERGY FOR
THE FUTURE?
 In
present

In
past
 Wind
A kind of solar energy

•Sun heats earth’s surface

unevenly
•gases of atmosphere move
 PORTABLE ENERGY

on a
small
scale -
DIY

on a larger scale
 High way wind turbine
IN THE
FUTURE????
Helix wind
turbine
 BIOGAS
Methane formed when
organic materials rot in
absence of oxygen
 BIOGAS
Methane formed when organic materials rot
in absence of oxygen
 PASSIVE USE OF
SOLAR ENERGY

drying clothes

Drying fruit using

sunlight
 PASSIVE USE OF
SOLAR ENERGY
Use sunlight for heating & lighting

Windows placed in a
position to absorb
desired light when
available
 ACTIVE USE OF SOLAR ENERGY
= using a device to capture sunlight
PV cells Concentrating sunlight
Make electricity COOK FOOD /HEAT WATER
directly using Silicon •Solar kettle, oven, cooker, geyser
cells GENERATING ELECTRICITY
•Heat steam make electricity using a
generator
•Solar tower
•Solar dish
BIOMASS
•Wood
BIOFUELS
•Bio-diesel
PHOTOVOLTAIC
CONVERSION
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
 PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
PV cells:
crystalline silicon -“doped” with
small amounts of Boron &
Phosphorous

Photons of sunlight with certain

energies
strike atoms of B and P

Electrons start flowing through

“holes” in silicon – electrical
current

Brought to terminals  electrical

apparatus /charging batteries
 Solar-Panel-Cooker
TIBETAN SOLAR KETTLE

sun oven
CONCENTRATING
SUNLIGHT
SOLAR
DISH
SYSTEM
Solar Tower in Seville Spain
Sunlight directed to top of tower heats water up to 250 OC  steam
turn generator  produce electricity for up to 180 000 homes.
 BIOMASS ENERGY
Plants convert solar energy to biomass
Radiation energy Chemical potential energy
Plants Herbivores  Carnivores (food chain)
When burning wood for light/heat, energy from sun is released again
BIOFUELS
Plants used to make
bio alcohol (like
mealies) or bio diesel
(sunflowers).
Algae used to produce bio fuel
Advantages: May make use of
marginal soil profitable, renewable
Disadvantages: It takes energy to
produce bio-fuels– plant crops
using tractors etc. May yield less
energy than used to produce it,
may lead to food shortages if good
agricultural land is used to produce
fuel instead of food
 Eco architecture

Reducing the carbon footprint

 Cob houses are made of clay &
Earthship houses are made of straw
rammed earth & tires
 Eco
Architecture:
Singapore to
soon flaunt a
vertical farm
incorporated
skyscraper
855 square meters of the area of this tower will be covered with solar panels that will generate
enough energy to fulfil about 40% of its energy demands. The designers will also be trying to
include an energy plant in the skyscraper that will convert human sewage into biogas. Another
fascinating feature included is the ability to remove and add walls and floors according to
demands.
Approximately, half of the surface area of the tower will be covered with organic local
vegetation. The building will have its own rain water harvesting and gray-water systems that
will not only provide water for the vegetation but also for toilet flushing.
Hockerton (UK)
Hockerton (UK)
Hockerton (UK)
Hockerton (UK)
Hockerton (UK)
Hockerton
(UK)
EARTH SHELTER
COB HOUSES
STRAW BALE (ORANIA)
NATURAL COOLING/HEATING (ORANIA IN SA)
Earthship houses are made of rammed earth & tires
CLAY HOUSES
 Minerals as a resource
• Non-renewable resource, that may become
depleted with the present rate of utilisation.
• High demand for minerals.
• Minerals aren’t evenly distributed – Some parts
of earth have a rich diversity of minerals (South
Africa is 1), while other parts almost have none.
• Great stimulant for international trade.
• Why does South-Africa still have to borrow from
other countries? Mismanagement? Or does only
a select few partake in the advantages?
• What about governments plans to be in charge of
all mining in South-Africa? What will be the
consequences?
 Water

Reducing the water footprint

Worldwide sanitation problems
•Many countries are chronically short of water, making use of
water borne sanitation an unrealistic option.
•High Cost – network, sewage treatment
•Water pollution if treated incorrectly (Vaal river)
•If it becomes a problem to obtain drinking water (Beaufort
West) – what about water for flushing a toilet?
•Pit latrines – effluent may enter ground water
•Regular operating and maintenance costs of sanitation
systems such as bucket latrines, septic tanks, chemical and
waterborne toilets =very high.
 EARTH CLOSETS
EARLY TYPE OF
COMPOSTING TOILET
 Saving water

Ecosan dry toilet system/ Ecosan droë toilet sisteem

When seat Is lifted, screw rotates- taking waste with it
As sitplek opgelig word, roteer die skroef en neem afval mee
Ecosan dry toilet system/
Ecosan droë toilet sisteem
Biolet
Waterless composting toilet
On-site, self-contained,
biological toilet
Uses aerobic decomposition &
evaporation to reduce human
waste to nutrient rich,
hygienically safe compost.
Reduces volume of waste
entering toilet by approximately
90%, leaving only 10% of
original volume for disposal.
Waste can be recycled back to
nature in a safe way w/out
polluting the environment.
COMPOSTING
TOILETS
 TANK FOR
COLLECTING
RAIN WATER
•WHICH ENERGY, WATER & SHELTER
TECHNOLOGIES ARE HARMFUL AND SHOULD BE
REPLACED?

•WHICH ENERGY, WATER & SHELTER

TECHNOLOGIES ARE USEFUL/SUSTAINABLE AND
SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED?

•IMAGINE THE FUTURE!