Reducing resource consumption by conservation, waste reduction recycling & substitution.
As world resource consumption continues to increase and natural resource reserves dwindle,
there is the need for nations to reduce their resource consumption. This is made possible either
by adopting the three Rs – reuse, reduce, recycle.
1.
Waste reduction(Reuse): This involves finding alternative uses for a product that is not
necessarily waste, but not needed. E.g donating clothings not needed to the poor or
needy, giving out your old iPhone to a friend in order to get the latest version. In the
case of these examples, the products are not considered waste, but they may be of no
use to the owner. In this case, finding an alternative use for them becomes ‘reuse’.
2.
Conservation (Reduce): It refers to the process of protecting and managing a resource in
such a way that it will not be degraded or damaged. This can be done through a
sustainable use of the resource E.g forest resources can be conserved by protecting it
against irresponsible lumbering activities or by encouraging afforestation. In terms of
energy conservation, it is important that we use the existing energy resources in such a
way that future generations can benefit from it or that there will be little or no
environmental damage. Reducing the consumption of the resource is therefore a sure
way of conversing the resource.
3.
Recycling: It is the process of putting back to use resources that are no longer needed.
Rather than generate waste with the unwanted resource or by-product, these products
can be put to good use to serve another purpose. E.g turning plastic waste into rubber
products such as bins, water tanks, etc or reusing scrap metal by smelting it into iron
bars.
4.
Substitution: is the replacing another to replace the existing one that is being used. . For
example, the need to use renewable energy resources such as solar energy or hydrogen
to power cars rather than depending of non-renewable sources of energy such as oil
and gas is a form of substitution.
Evaluate a strategy at a local or national scale aimed at reducing the consumption of one
resource.
Case Study: Fishing Quotas in The European Union
Fishing Quotas is conservation strategy adopted by the European Union to limit the number of
fish stock that member countries are allowed to catch. This conservation strategy was
implemented to minimize excessive fishing of endangered fish species. Each European country
therefore has a responsibility to make sure that they meet the quota, which is also known as
Total Allowable Catches (TACs).
How It Is Measured?
If the European Union left the implementation of the quota system to the member countries not
all of them would adhere to and be truthful with the policy. Therefore, the EU Council of Fisheries
introduced the quota system based on the estimated stock by calculating these quotas at the end
of the year. This way each country could be monitored.
Advantages Of The Policy
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It prevents extinction: With a limit on the number of fishes that can be caught,
endangered species like the North Sea are save form extinction. This will enable them
multiply for future generations to benefit.
It hinders disruption of the food web: When all the fishes do not become extinct, the
food chains and webs that are dependent on endangered fish species are not disrupted
and all other fishes and animals in the web remain intact.
Long term protection of fishing industry- If there were no quotas and the fish became
scarce and extinct, fishing industries will run at a loss and close down. The quotas
prevent this from happening by ensuring that fish, especially the endangered species,
will always be available.
It indirectly prevents unemployment for the communities whose livelihood depend on
the fishing industry.
Compensation: the EU provided grants and compensation to the local fishermen to
serve as seed capital to invest in other business ventures.
Disadvantages
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Due to the policy most of the fishermen lost their jobs. Consequently, other workers
indirectly associated with the fishing industry (eg. Boat technicians/mechanics) also lost
their jobs.
Inflation: The price of fish increased regularly resulting from the limited quantity of fish
in the European market.
The government of the various EU member countries spent a lot of money trying to
monitor the quotas so as to ensure that they do not exceed the limit.
Fish, whether dead or alive, were put back into the sea just so that the country can meet
their Quota.
Globally there are other causes of fish stock depletsuch as:
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Pollution: Many people tend to pollute the sea killing large numbers of fish that live in it
constant.
Global warming: Differences in temperature and rising sea levels causes an
uncomfortable habitat for the fish resulting in their death.
Tourism: The presence of too many tourists can lead to pollution of the water bodies.
Tourist also buys shells etc. that damage the water bodies and disturb animals.
Deforestation: Deforestation leads to the bare soil being exposed to the sun.
Consequently when it rains, soil enters the sea, polluting the sea and killing the animals.
Aquaculture: This is known as the farming of sea animals. This decreases the number of
fishes in the sea if it is always fed to farm animals.
Alternative Methods Of Cutting Down Fish Stock
Other conservation strategies to decrease fish are:
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Fishing periods: Government can allocate specific periods during the year for fishing. It
can be specific days or mouths.
Harvest faxes: The prices of fish can be increased so as to reduce the demand for it.
Once the demand reduces, supply to will reduce and fishing will not be that much.
Create marine parks: Parks with aquariums, fish ponds and other water bodies
containing fish can be created in order to conserve the fishes
Community management’s schemes: This can be carried out so that communities can be
on the lookout for each other so as to avoid decreasing the fish levels.
Better regulation of illegal fishing: Even if people are fishing illegally they must be
spread out and not concentrated at a particular place.
Evaluate a strategy at a local or national scale aimed at reducing the consumption of one
resource.
E.G Reducing the consumption of fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas)
The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
In 1988, the United Nations set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)
which brings together thousands of scientists from around the world. Their task is to assess
existing research and knowledge about climate change and its effects and to provide
comprehensive reports at regular intervals. Several years of work go into preparing each report.
The most recent report, known as the Fourth Assessment Report, was published in 2007.
The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
In 1992, governments agreed to form the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change (UNFCCC). This international agreement has been formally accepted by 191 countries
plus the European Union – almost all the countries in the world. The objective of the
Convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that
would prevent dangerous, man-made interference with the climate system. Under the
Convention, governments monitor and report the greenhouse gases they produce, develop
climate change strategies, and help the poorer among them address climate change. They meet
once a year to review progress and decide what to do next. The Convention was designed as an
umbrella under which more action would be agreed in the future.
The Kyoto Protocol
In 1997, in the Japanese city of Kyoto, gov’ts took the next step and agreed the important Kyoto
Protocol. This treaty commits industrialised countries to reduce or limit their greenhouse gas
emissions and reach certain emission targets by 2012. The Kyoto Protocol focuses on
industrialised countries because they are responsible for most of the past and current
greenhouse gas emissions and have the knowledge and money to reduce them. For example,
the amount of greenhouse gases produced in the EU is around 11 tonnes per citizen every year,
while developing countries produce only around 1 tonne per citizen each year.
What you can do
Climate change is a global problem, and yet each of us has the power to make a difference.
Even small changes in our behavior can save energy and resources and help prevent
greenhouse emissions,without affecting our quality of life. In fact, they can save us money.
Recycle things. Recycling an aluminum can to produce a new one requires one-tenth of the
energy needed to produce one from scratch. Paper factories use far less energy to make paper
from old newspapers than from wood pulp.