Changing Demands for Resources in the UK

Changing Demand for Resources in the UK

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• Caption: Kent Power Station

Changing Food Demands

• Before supermarkets, most food eaten in the UK was local and seasonal.
• Today exotic fruits and vegetables are available year-round.
• Food that can be grown locally is still imported.
• In 2013, 47% of the UK food supply was imported.
• This means that what was once food for the local population in low-income countries is instead used for high-value exports to the UK.
• Less land becomes available in poorer countries for locals to grow their own food.
• High-value crops often need a lot of water to grow, this puts extra pressure on an already limited water supply.
• Though jobs are created, they are mostly poorly paid and people can become exposed to harmful chemicals when working.
• Taxes paid to the government can help to build schools and hospitals.

Moving to Organic Produce

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• Organic produce is grown without the use of pesticides and fertilisers.
• The demand for organic products has been steadily growing since the 1990's.
• The highest selling organic products are milk, cheese, and yoghurt.
• This switch is prompted by people being more concerned about what they eat.

Food Miles

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• Food miles are the distance food travels from producer to consumer.
• The transport used to import the UK's food emits over 19 million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year.
• Carbon dioxide is also emitted in the harvesting of food.
• These factors contribute to a large carbon footprint for the UK population.
• To reduce emissions, there has been a push towards agribusiness in the UK.
• Agribusiness means treating farms like an industrial business; increasing farm sizes, increasing mechanisation, and using the latest and best technology to increase crop yields.

Demand for Water in the UK

• Despite the UK having a short supply of water, demands for water in the average household have grown by 70% since 1985.
• This is caused by an increase in wealth, increased population, changes in personal hygiene, and demands for out-of-season foods.
• The areas of high population in the UK do not correlate with the areas with the greatest supply of water.
• The southeast is the driest part of the UK.
• Water transfer schemes operate in the UK on a small scale:
• Reservoirs in North Wales and the Lake District provide water for the populated areas of northwest England.
• The water from the Kielder Dam in Northumberland is used to supply Newcastle, Sunderland, and Middlesbrough with water.

Water Pollution

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• The UK has seen an improvement in water quality since the industrial revolution.
• However, only 27% of UK water is marked as "good status" under the EU Water Framework Directive.
• Toxic waste dumping poisons wildlife and those who drink the water.
• Increased water temperatures from manufacturing can kill wildlife.
• Fertilisers cause eutrophication, decreasing oxygen supply to aquatic wildlife.
• Sewage can cause the spread of infectious disease.

Water Quality Management

• Legislation from the EU and UK dictate what type of farms can be established and what runoff they put into rivers.
• Local waste water treatment plants can remove chemicals and sediment from water supplies so that they can be used for drinking.
• Pollution traps can be placed near rivers to filter out pollution.
• Education campaigns advise the public what not to place in waste water systems and how to dispose of these items correctly.
• New and better infrastructure can prevent waste spills and accidents.
• Green roofs can filter out the natural pollutants in rainwater and reduce the risk of flooding caused by runoff.
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Changing Energy Demands in the UK

• Today we consume less energy than in 1975 despite the larger population.
• There has been a decrease in heavy industry but an increase in transport.
• Reduction in domestic energy consumption can be attributed to energy-efficient devices, increased awareness, and increasing costs of energy production.
• The UK's energy mix is moving away from fossil fuels due to reduced supply and new EU regulations.
• There has been an increase in the amount of renewable energy being used.