Sustainable Strategies (OCR GCSE Geography B)
Revision Note
Written by: Bridgette Barrett
Reviewed by: Jenna Quinn
Ethical Consumerism
The purchase of goods and services produced in a way that minimises social, economic and environmental impacts is known as ethical consumerism
Examples of ethical consumerism include:
Fairtrade
Reduction of waste
Fairtrade
Fairtrade aims to:
Pay a fair and guaranteed price for a product this is often higher than the market price
Improve working conditions
Pay a Fairtrade or social premium, which is reinvested in the community
Fairtrade has high production standards which reduces the impact on the ecosystem
Fairtrade is generally regarded as sustainable
It does have disadvantages which impact sustainability including:
Fairtrade is usually for primary goods which have a limited value
It relies on people being prepared to pay higher prices for goods which are Fairtrade
it only benefits communities rather than regions or countries
There is a limited range of Fairtrade products
Reduction of waste
In the UK almost 10 million tonnes of food is thrown away each year
Over 70% of this occurs in people's homes, the rest is from restaurants, cafes, hotels and fast food outlets
An additional 3.3 million tonnes is wasted on farms due to:
Lack of buyers for a particular crop
Lack of workers to harvest the crop
Crops/livestock products not meeting supermarket standards
Strategies to reduce food waste include:
Wonky Veg and Odd Box are available in supermarkets and online. This means that vegetables not meeting the grade standard can be sold rather than wasted
Removal of best-before dates on some products such as milk, fruit and vegetables
Creation of apps such as 'Too Good to Go' which enables retailers to sell off food which would otherwise be thrown away
Donation of supermarket food to organisations like FareShare who then distribute to charities and community groups such as homeless shelters and community cafes
In LIDCs most of the food waste occurs either in the field or as a result of poor storage
Strategies to reduce this food waste include:
Improved storage facilities
Prevention of disease spread among crops and livestock
Food Production
There are many types of farming including:
Intensive farming
Organic farming
In terms of sustainability and food security each has its own advantages and disadvantages
Intensive farming
An intensive farming system has high levels of inputs to achieve the highest possible yield per hectare
Intensive farms often use:
High levels of pesticides, fertilisers and herbicides
Factory farming methods where animals are kept inside in densely packed conditions
Battery farming which involves the animals being restricted to small unenriched cages is now banned in the UK and EU
Antibiotics to stop the spread of disease rather than as treatment for diseases
Other types of intensive agriculture in
Advantages and Disadvantages of Intensive Farming
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
High yields lead to an increased food supply which increases food security Efficient, the yield per hectare is high Higher yields reduce the cost of the food Improves people's diet as they have more food choice | Pollution of land, water and air by artificial fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides The health of farmworkers can be damaged by using chemicals such as pesticides Pesticides and herbicide residue on food may affect people's health Monocultures reduce biodiversity Antibiotic resistance in humans may increase due to consuming meat which contains antibiotics Increase in greenhouse gases due to increased livestock production and use of fertilisers |
Agribusinesses
There has been an increase in agribusiness in many parts of the world, particularly LIDCs where companies are buying up large areas of land
The aim of the companies is to make a profit and often the food produced is exported
This means that the agribusinesses often have minor impact on LIDCs food security
Organic farming
Increasing numbers of farmers are converting to organic standards of farming
Demand for organic food has increased due to health and environmental concerns
Organic farming uses natural methods of pest and weed control as well as natural fertilisers
The use of artificial pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers is banned in organic standards
Livestock is only given antibiotics when unwell
Vaccinations are restricted
Organic farmers tend to leave hedgerows and encourage wildlife to help with natural pest control
Advantages and Disadvantages of Organic Farming
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Reduces artificial chemicals polluting the soil and water Artificial chemicals and antibiotics are not entering the human food chain through the meat and crops Biodiversity tends to be higher on organic farms because: Pesticides are not being used Wide variety of crops encourages wildlife Hedgerows are likely to be left in place, which creates habitats | Cost of producing crops and livestock is higher Cost of food for the consumer is higher which affects the social sustainability Yields tend to be lower |
Technology
Over the last 100 years, there have been significant advances in technology which improve food security including:
Genetically Modified (GM) crops
Hydroponics
Aeroponics
Green revolution
Genetically Modified (GM) Crops
Genetic modification involves using genes from one species to improve another species and increase yields:
Crops can be made pesticide-resistant so that when pesticides are sprayed to remove the pests the crop is undamaged
The vitamin which causes carrots to be orange (beta carotene) is added to rice to increase human uptake of the vitamin
Genetic modification is controversial
GM crops are grown in many countries including the USA, Canada, Argentina and India
In 2022 the UK government is looking to remove the controls which stop the widespread growth of GM crops
Advantages and Disadvantages of GM Crops
For | Against |
|---|---|
Increases crop yields | Could affect other species of plant |
Improves food quality - taste and nutrition | No long-term studies available regarding the impacts on human health |
Reduces the use of herbicides and pesticides in some cases | Seeds are expensive |
Reduces the cost of food | No long-term studies on the effects on wildlife such as bees |
Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a type of agriculture that grows plants without soil
Plants can be grown indoors, in carefully controlled conditions
Their roots are suspended in a solution that contains all the nutrients that they need to grow
The solution flows around the greenhouse in channels so all the plants are well supplied with nutrients
Lighting can be via artificial lights or via glass roofs, as in a commercial greenhouse
Conditions can be monitored carefully, and yields improved
Yields are not dependent on good weather
Examples of hydroponically grown crops are tomatoes, strawberries, cucumbers, lettuces, and peppers
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydroponics
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Produces a high yield per hectare Conditions can be controlled carefully to ensure maximum crop Crops are not affected by the weather | High setup cost There is a high energy input for artificial light and heat Fertilisers are used which may enter the water system causing water pollution Disease can spread quickly around a hydroponic greenhouse and damage a lot of crops in a short space of time |
Aeroponics uses a mist containing nutrients rather than suspending the roots in water
The Green Revolution led to a significant increase in crop yields in the 1960s due to the development and use of high-yield varieties (HYV)
Bottom Up Strategies
Bottom-up approaches to food security are usually:
Small-scale
Less environmentally damaging
Socially sustainable within a community
They rely on local communities rather than large organisations
Urban gardens
An urban garden is an area where food is grown within a town or city
They exist as allotments, roof gardens, back gardens, and community spaces
Advantages and Disadvantages of Urban Gardens
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Provides people in urban areas with cheap, nutritious food Reduces food miles as the food does not need to be transported Urban farming can be highly productive. Some estimates state it is over ten times more productive than large-scale farming Urban gardens provide places for people to exercise and for children to play Rooftop gardens insulate buildings reducing energy costs | The quantity of food produced may be smaller than the demand Diseases can easily spread in urban livestock An urban garden may not be the best use for the land |
Permaculture
Permaculture attempts to mimic nature in the way that crops are grown
The term means 'permanent agriculture' this means that management of the crops ensures that they can be used continuously
Advantages and Disadvantages of Permaculture
Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|
Works with the environment Maintains biodiversity Values the hedgerows and field edges which provide habitats for wildlife Produces no waste | Small-scale Expensive method of production |
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