CORE AREA 2 RESOURCE MANAGEMENT AND CONSUMER STUDIES 2.2.2 CONSUMER
RESPONSIBILITY TO THE ENVIRONMENT
What you will learn: • Consequences of not managing the environment responsibly • Renewable and non-renewable resources • Global warming • Ways to reduce energy consumption in the home • Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) • Air, water and noise pollution • Waste management • Recycling symbols • Government initiatives to reduce the impact of packaging • ENFO • Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) directive
As consumers we have a responsibility to manage our waste and use energy effectively to ensure minimum damage to the environment. To do this, consumers must adopt a sustainable lifestyle. This is a lifestyle that attempts to reduce use of Earth’s natural resources and cause the least amount of environmental damage for future generations.
Consequences of not managing the environment responsibly
• There is a reduction in non-renewable sources of energy, e.g. oil and coal.
• Global warming/climate change increases due to greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels.
• There is depletion of the protective ozone layer that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun due to chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).
• Deforestation of rainforests leaves fewer trees to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
• There is an increase in air, water and soil pollution.
344 Complete Home Economics
Deforestation is the cutting down and clearing away of trees or forests.
Li Water pollution GO FIGURE I23
Over 32 million acres of tropical rain forest were cut down each year between 2000 and 2009.
