chapter 4 - creating a sustainable world
§ 4.1 - can the earth cope?
natural resources
In order to make the products that we use, raw materials such as plastic
or metal are needed. We call these raw materials natural resources.
there is not an endless supply of those resources. Some are renewable
and some are finite.
ecological footprint
An ecological footprint is the amount of space you use to be able to live.
not only your home, but also the space used to produce your clothes
and food. In rich countries the ecological footprint is often larger than in
poor countries. In the Netherlands the average ecological footprint is 5
hectares per person.
population growth
the world population is growing. This has an influence on the space that
is available per person. according to the population projections instead
of 1.8 hectares, only 1.1 hectares will be available per person.
sustainable
To tackle these problems, we have to deal with the earth in a
sustainable way. This means that we can’t use the natural resources
faster than they are replaced.
, § 4.2 - the world of food
food footprint
The world population is growing and eating more meat. to make
room for meadows and fields for animal feed, other things such as
rainforests have to disappear. The space you need to grow your
food is called the food footprint.
large-scale farming
In order to feed the growing world population, large-scale farming is
used. There are fewer farms, but the farms that do still exist are
getting bigger. Some farmers also try to maximize the yield per
animal or per hectare of land, by using robots or machines that
know exactly how much feed a cow needs. That is called
intensification. biodiversity on earth is decreasing because the
plants and animals we do not eat are no longer grown on fields
sustainable food production
If we want to ensure we grow enough food, we have to produce it
without causing environmental degradation. an exhausted
environment no longer has resources people could use. As a result,
future generations will not have the same opportunities as the
current generation. there are ways to deal with food in a sustainable
way:
1. throw away less per person we dispose 135 kilos of food
every year
2. save space by building food factories in food factories you
can create the optical environment for plants to grow in.
3. practicing organic farming - using less fertilizer or poison to
combat insects and plant diseases.
4. modifying crops so they can cope better with drought and
diseases. This is called genetic engineering.
§ 4.1 - can the earth cope?
natural resources
In order to make the products that we use, raw materials such as plastic
or metal are needed. We call these raw materials natural resources.
there is not an endless supply of those resources. Some are renewable
and some are finite.
ecological footprint
An ecological footprint is the amount of space you use to be able to live.
not only your home, but also the space used to produce your clothes
and food. In rich countries the ecological footprint is often larger than in
poor countries. In the Netherlands the average ecological footprint is 5
hectares per person.
population growth
the world population is growing. This has an influence on the space that
is available per person. according to the population projections instead
of 1.8 hectares, only 1.1 hectares will be available per person.
sustainable
To tackle these problems, we have to deal with the earth in a
sustainable way. This means that we can’t use the natural resources
faster than they are replaced.
, § 4.2 - the world of food
food footprint
The world population is growing and eating more meat. to make
room for meadows and fields for animal feed, other things such as
rainforests have to disappear. The space you need to grow your
food is called the food footprint.
large-scale farming
In order to feed the growing world population, large-scale farming is
used. There are fewer farms, but the farms that do still exist are
getting bigger. Some farmers also try to maximize the yield per
animal or per hectare of land, by using robots or machines that
know exactly how much feed a cow needs. That is called
intensification. biodiversity on earth is decreasing because the
plants and animals we do not eat are no longer grown on fields
sustainable food production
If we want to ensure we grow enough food, we have to produce it
without causing environmental degradation. an exhausted
environment no longer has resources people could use. As a result,
future generations will not have the same opportunities as the
current generation. there are ways to deal with food in a sustainable
way:
1. throw away less per person we dispose 135 kilos of food
every year
2. save space by building food factories in food factories you
can create the optical environment for plants to grow in.
3. practicing organic farming - using less fertilizer or poison to
combat insects and plant diseases.
4. modifying crops so they can cope better with drought and
diseases. This is called genetic engineering.
