Natural Resources and Waste
We are putting more demand on the Earth’s resources than ever before. It is estimated that if everyone in the world lived at the same consumption levels as the population of the UK, we would need 3 planets in order to provide enough resources. The planet’s non-renewable resources such as metals and minerals are rapidly being exhausted, and our renewable resources, such as water and timber are being consumed at an unsustainable rate. This rapid use of resources is putting huge pressures on the enviornment.
We are also wasteful with our resources, and the amount of watse produced continues to rise each year. Getting rid of this watse generates environmental consequences. The majority of waste is sent to landfill sites, which use up valuable land space, pollute the air, soil, and surface and ground waters, and produce methane which is a gas contributing to climate change. In addition to this, landfill sites often contain materials that could have been recovered or recycled.
Water is a vital natural resource that is essential for life on Earth. Although water is a renewable resource, huge pressures are currently being put on water reserves through business and domestic consumption. Using water reserves at an accelerrated rate is clearly unsustainable, and will put a strain on water availability.
In addition to this, water quality can be compromised by discharge from sewage treatment works, industry, and by diffuse pollution from agriculture.
Coastal waters are important for providing us with valuable resources including food from fishing, minerals and energy supplies under the seabed, and there are opportunities to expolit renewable energy sources such as wind and tidal energy. The marine environment is also important to biodiversity.
However, there are threats to the coastal environment through the over exploitation of commercial fish stocks, pollution from industrial waste, tankers, and sewage treatment plants. Climate change also represents a significant threat to the coastal environment.
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