Chapter 4 continued

• Nonrenewable Mineral Resources

• Energy

• Energy Options

• Environmental Degradation

• Environmental Equity and Sustainable Development

Nonrenewable Natural Resources• The widespread distribution of nonmetallic

elements (e.g. sand & gravel, nitrogen, potash, phosphorous, sulfur, etc.)

• Uneven distribution of metallic minerals• Figure 4.12 – diversity of strategic minerals in

U.S. Canada, Australia, South Africa and Russia• Growing U.S. dependent on imports• Mineral supply options: the oceans, improved

mining technologies, recycling• Figure 4.13: “transmaterialization” – substitution

of advanced materials for natural materials• Environmental Impacts – use of lower quality

ores

Production of Strategic Materials

Changing Consumption of Metals

U.S. Energy Consumption

With about 5% of global population, the U.S. uses about 25% of global energy consumption

Total andPer CapitaEnergyConsumption

Global Petroleum ReservesAlaska?

Petroleum ReservesAnd Production

% differentThan Fig.4.18

U.S. Oil Statistics Figure 4.16 – textData are very differentThan the scale onThis graph – see the nextSlide for more accurate data

Source: U.S. Energy Administration. Tight Oil is shale oil production

Oil Production & Consumption U.S.

Growing foreign dependence

Rise of OPEC

Global imbalance in energydemand and supply

Pressures to increasedomestic output – Alaska,Offshore

Future demands and supplies:when will global output peak,and what will be the alternative?

Crude Oil Reserves, Production & Trade

Production & Consumption Crude Oil by Major Region

Natural GasReserves andProduction

World Trade in Natural Gas

Coal ProductionAnd Reserves

Major Iron-Producing & Coal Fields

Acid Rain Creation

Energy Options – Post Cheap Fossil Fuels

• Conservation

• Nuclear Power – Figure 4.29

• Geothermal

• Hydropower

• Solar Energy

• Wind – note case study

• Biomass

Source: NWPCC 6th Northwest Power Plan, Chapter 2

An Example of Renewable Energy Options -RPS – Renewable Resource Portfolio Standard

Environmental Degradation

• Pollution – air and water

• Wildlife & habitat preservation

• Environmental Equity

Causes ofDecrease

Sources of Air Pollutants

Point vs. Non-point sources

Acid Rain Concentration

Greenhouse Gases & Global Warming

Environmental Equity and Sustainable Development

• Environmental spillovers of human development

• Principle of sustainable development– Western concerns with long-run growth and

efficiency, externalizing environmental costs– A critique from the Global South – equity and

internalizing environmental costs– P. 127 last paragraph before summary

Problems ofAir pollution,Acid Rain, And AquiferDepletion

2010 Gulf Oil Spill

Problems of poverty,Poor land distribution,Lack of rural opportunities,Exploitation of environment by corporate interests,Threatening forests,Polluting water, Creating Urban Air Quality Problems

ProblemsOf deforestation,Desertification,Overgrazing,Soil erosion,Wildlife extinction

Water supply problems,Overgrazing,Irrigation-induced salinization

Marine pollution,Acid rain,Polluted rivers

Summary• Resource problems can be solved by• (1) changing societal goals• (2) changing consumption patterns• (3) changing technology• (4) altering population levelsViewing the “food crisis” as socially

constructedNonrenewable resources – shifting from a

growth-oriented to a balance-oriented lifestyle