Year 9 - Geography
The impact of consumption
Anthropocene: What is the impact of humans on the world?
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Study Guides
This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit teaches pupils about how humans have affected our world by looking at environmental issues such as plastic pollution and the impact of fossil fuel use. The unit leads pupils to question whether we are in a new geological epoch.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to describe how resource use and consumption patterns affect the planet.
Key Notes
- High levels of consumption increase demand for natural resources.
- Global trade increases the environmental footprint of consumption.
- Richer countries consume more per person than poorer countries.
- Waste from overconsumption contributes to pollution and emissions.
- Fast fashion and electronics create growing environmental problems.
Vocabulary To Learn
- overconsumption: when people use more resources than Earth can replace
- fast fashion: the mass production and sale of cheaply made clothing that is not worn often and is quickly replaced
- global trade: the exchange of goods, money and services between countries
- E-waste: electronic waste
- natural resources: resources that come from Earth without human influence and can be used for human needs
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Incinerarting waste is good for the environment.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
High levels of consumption increase demand for natural resources. Global trade increases the environmental footprint of consumption.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'overconsumption'
when people use more resources than Earth can replace.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: Incinerarting waste is good for the environment. Correction: Incinerating waste releases toxic gases and carbon emissions.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Alternative energy supplies Study Guide
- An introduction to the Anthropocene Study Guide
- Evidence of the Anthropocene Study Guide
- Fieldwork: Analysing, concluding and evaluating air pollution data Study Guide
- Fieldwork: Planning an air pollution enquiry and collecting data Study Guide
- Fieldwork: Presenting air pollution data Study Guide
- Global governance Study Guide
- Our future climate Study Guide
- Phasing out fossil fuels Study Guide
- Plastic pollution Study Guide
- Sustainability: A new way of living Study Guide
- The human impact on ecosystems Study Guide
- Threats to oceans Study Guide
Browse all guides in the Year 9 Geography guide library.