CC8.1 — Resources and sustainability (Edexcel 1SC0)
Finite vs renewable resources
Finite (non-renewable): will eventually run out; fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), metal ores. Renewable: can be replenished; wood, solar, wind, wave, tidal.
The 3 Rs
- Reduce: use less.
- Reuse: use items multiple times.
- Recycle: process used materials into new products.
Recycling saves energy compared to extracting and processing virgin materials, and reduces waste and CO₂ emissions.
Life-cycle assessment (LCA)
An LCA analyses the environmental impact of a product throughout its entire life:
- Raw material extraction (energy, land use, habitat destruction).
- Manufacturing (energy, water, pollutants).
- Use (energy, emissions, waste).
- Disposal (landfill, incineration, recycling options).
LCA helps compare the environmental footprint of different products.
Limitations: assumptions vary; difficult to assign precise values; results can be manipulated (selective LCA).
Sustainable development
Meeting the needs of current generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
AI-generated · claude-opus-4-7 · v3-edexcel-combined-science