Resource Depletion

1
Resource Depletion

• An introduction

2
Resources

• features of the environment which are needed and
  used by people.
• Natural Resources - occur in the air, water and
  on land.
• Human Resources - labour, skills, machinery and
  capital.

3
Non-Renewable Resources

• Are said to finite or non-sustainable as their
  exploitation and use will eventually lead to
  their exhaustion.

4
Renewable resources

• A flow of nature- being continuous, they can be
  used over and over again.
• Sustainable- they are renewable and self
  generating if left to nature e.g. trees, fish
• However, if renewable resources are overused
  their existence may be threatened.

5
Resources Flow Chart
6
Reserves

• are a non-renewable resource (e.g. coal) which
  exists in a finite quantity in the crust of the
  earth

7
Fossil Fuels and Minerals

• Coal, Oil and Gas are non-renewable resources
  created from organic matter
• They are used to produce energy and are the
  quickest and easiest way of generating vast
  amounts of energy
• 1 modern fossil fuel power station produces the
  same amount of energy as
• 300 wind turbines
• 150 km2 of solar panels
• 100 kms of powerful coastal wave energy

8
Future Reserves

• Oil 40-45 years
• Natural Gas 50-65 years
• Coal 200-300 years
• MEDCs contain 25 of the worlds population BUT
  consume 70 of the worlds fuels!

9
Minerals

• Many of these are generally not destroyed in use
  and can be recycled
• eg. Iron, Copper, Zinc, Tin