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  • IB Business Management
    • 01 Business Organization and the Environment >
      • 1.1 Introduction to Business Management
      • 1.2 Types of business organizations
      • 1.3 Organizational objectives
      • 1.4 Stakeholders
      • 1.5 External Environment
      • 1.6 Growth and Evolution
      • 1.7 Organizational planning tools
    • 02 Human Resources >
      • 2.1 Human Resource Planning
      • 2.2 Organizational Structure
      • 2.3 Leadership and Management
      • 2.4 Motivation
      • 2.5 Organizational and corporate cultures
      • 2.6 Employer and employee relations
    • 03 Finance and Accounting >
      • 3.1 Sources of finance
      • 3.2 Costs and revenues
      • 3.3 Break-even analysis
      • 3.4 Financial Accounts
      • 3.5 & 3.6 Ratio Analysis
      • 3.7 Cash flow
      • 3.8 Investment appraisal
      • 3.9 Budgets
    • 04 Marketing >
      • 4.1 The Role Marketing
      • 4.2 Marketing Planning
      • 4.3 Sales Forcasting
      • 4.4 Market Research
      • 4.5 Product >
        • 4.5 Price
        • 4.5 Promotion
        • 4.5 Place
      • 4.7 International Marketing and Globalization
    • The Exam
  • IB Economics
    • 01 Microeconomics >
      • 1. The Foundations of Economics
      • 1.1 Demand and Supply
      • 1.2 Elasticities
      • 1.3 Government Intervention
      • 1.4 Market Failure
    • 02 Macroeconomics >
      • 01 Level of Economic Activity
      • 2.2 Aggregate Demand
      • 2.3 Aggregate Supply
      • 2.4 Macroeconomic Equlibruim
      • 2.5 Unemployment
      • 2.6 Inflation
      • 2.7 Economic Growth
      • 2.8 Equity in the distribution of income
    • 03 International Economics >
      • 3.1 Free Trade
      • 3.2 Protectionism
      • 3.3 Exchange Rates
      • 3.4 Balance of Payments
      • 3.5 Economic Integration
    • 04 Development Economics >
      • 4.1 Economic Development
      • 4.2 Measuring Development
    • 05 Exam Preparation
  • Individuals & Societies 8
    • 01 Belief systems and their influence on culture
    • 02 How are societies governed?
    • 03 Japan 1603 - 1945: Isolation and then expansion
    • 04 What are natural hazards and how do societies respond to them? Case Study: Japan
  • Individuals & Societies 7
    • 01 The Individuals and Societies Toolbox
    • 02 Economic Growth and Development
    • 03 Where are all the people?
    • 04 How has globalization shaped the world?
  • AP World History
    • Free Response Questions
    • 10,000 BCE - 600CE
    • 600 - 1450
    • 1450 - 1750
  • AP Human Geo
    • 01 Geography its nature and perspectives
    • 02 Population and Migration
    • 03 Cultural Geography
    • 04 Political Geography
    • 05 Urban Geography
    • 06 Economic Geography
    • 07 Agricultural Geography
    • Exam Review
  • Previously Taught Courses
    • G12 Economics >
      • Basic Economic Ideas
      • Producing and Consuming
      • Financial Capability
      • Managing the Economy
    • G10 World History >
      • 01 Exploration, Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
      • 02 The American Revolution
      • 03 France: Absolute Monarchy & Revolution
      • 04 The Industrial Revolution
      • 05 Imperialism and Nationalism
      • 06 WW1
      • 07 Inter-War Period
      • 08 WW2
    • G9 World History >
      • 01 Human beginnings and early civilizations
      • 02 Mediterranean Classical Civilizations (Greece) >
        • Mediterranean Classical Civilizations (Rome)
      • 03 Classical China
      • 04 The Muslim World
      • 05 Interregional Networks and Contacts 500 - 1450
      • 06 The Renaissance and Reformation >
        • Oral Presentations
    • G9 Social Studies >
      • History >
        • Analyzing Sources
      • Geography
    • G7 Social Studies >
      • Introduction to Empowerment
      • Economic Empowerment
      • Political Empowerment
      • Cultural Empowerment
      • National Empowerment
      • 04 Resources and the environment
      • Finance and Accounting >
        • 3.1 Sources of finance
        • 3.2 Investment appraisal
        • 3.3 Working capital
        • 3.4 Budgeting
        • 3.5 Financial Accounts
        • 3.6 Ratio Analysis
  • Extended Essay
    • 01 Getting Started
    • 02 Structuring the EE
  • Writing Skills
  • Critical Reading

04 Resources and the environment

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During this unit we will study the following content:
  • How human activity pollutes the environment
  • How we can conserve energy
  • The difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources
After studying this unit you will be able to:
  • Explain how humans can have a negative impact on the   environment through industrial activity. 
  • Classify different types of pollution and their effects
  • Explain the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources

Why is it an issue if we run out of oil?

Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of global petroleum extraction is reached, after which the rate of production enters terminal decline.

Optimistic  estimations of peak production forecast the global decline will begin by 2020 or later, and assume major investments in alternatives will occur before a crisis, without requiring major changes in the lifestyle of heavily oil-consuming nations.

Pessimistic  predictions of future oil production operate on the theory that either the peak has already occurred, we are on the cusp of the peak, or that it will occur shortly and, as proactive mitigation may no longer be an option, predict a global depression, perhaps even initiating a chain reaction of the various feedback mechanisms in the global market which might stimulate a collapse of global industrial civilization, potentially leading to large population declines within a short period.

 An Analogy of Peak Oil:

  • You like to go fishing in a pond
  • The first day you catch one fish, the second you catch two fish, the third three fish.
  • You become a better fisherman everyday.
  • You catch more and more fish.
  • But at some point the fish in the pond start running out.
  • You cannot continue to catch 20 fish if there are not 20 fish left in the pond.

Chemical explosion, Barcelona 02/12/15

Drax Powerstation

Pollution and waste

MEDCs have higher levels of consumption, so many produce more waste than LEDCs. The USA produces over 700 kg of waste per person per year. In LEDCs the figure is around 150 kg per person per year. This difference is due to different levels of consumption; it is also more common to reuse items in LEDCs.

As a country becomes more wealthy, the demand for consumer items increases. This means that items are replaced more frequently - leading to larger quantities of waste. For example, mobile phones and computers that still work may be discarded for a newer version.

In LEDCs waste production is lower because:

  • Less is bought because people are typically on lower incomes
  • Less packaging is used on products
  • Disposable items (eg razors, plastic plates and nappies) are used less
  • Lower literacy levels means there is less production of written material

Trash wave

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How can we conserve energy?

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