Resource management: food, water and energy in the UK
Three resources, one pattern: demand rising, supply unevenly distributed, and every solution carrying a cost. This lesson covers the UK overview.
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Explain the demand for food, water and energy and evaluate strategies to increase supply sustainably.
Key learning points
- • Food in the UK
- • Water in the UK
- • Energy in the UK
- • Answering resource questions
This lesson at a glance
- 30 minutes
- 21 parts to scroll through
- 4 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 21
Visual introductionPicture this
Resource management: food, water and energy in the UK
Three resources, one pattern: demand rising, supply unevenly distributed, and every solution carrying a cost. This lesson covers the UK overview.
In a nutshell
Explain the demand for food, water and energy and evaluate strategies to increase supply sustainably.
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 21
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Food in the UK
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 21
Learn
Food in the UK
Demand for high-value, out-of-season and organic produce has grown, raising food miles and the carbon footprint of the food supply. Agribusiness raises output through scale and technology; local sourcing and seasonal eating reduce transport emissions but limit choice and cost more per unit.
Reset break
Part 4 of 21
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Explore the idea
Part 5 of 21
Learn
Water in the UK
Rainfall is highest in the north and west, demand highest in the south and east — a mismatch bridged by transfer schemes, at a financial and ecological cost. Quality is managed by treatment, pollution regulation and reducing agricultural runoff.
Quick check
Part 6 of 21
Quick check
Part 7 of 21
Reset break
Part 8 of 21
Pause
That's sitting 2 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Learning cycle
Part 9 of 21
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · Energy in the UK
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 10 of 21
Learn
Energy in the UK
The mix has shifted from coal towards gas, renewables and nuclear, with fossil-fuel reserves depleting and import dependence a political question. Each source trades cost, reliability, emissions and local impact differently, which is exactly what evaluation questions target.
Explore the idea
Part 11 of 21
Learn
Answering resource questions
Frame every answer around supply, demand and the gap between them, then evaluate a strategy that closes the gap. That structure works for food, water or energy without modification.
Reset break
Part 12 of 21
Pause
That's sitting 3 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 13 of 21
Quick check
Part 14 of 21
Explore the idea
Part 15 of 21
Worked example
Model answer: 'Explain why water transfer is needed in the UK' (4 marks)
Rainfall totals are highest in the north and west, where relief rainfall over upland areas produces a surplus, while population and demand are concentrated in the south and east, which receive far less rain and contain the largest urban populations. This creates a water deficit in exactly the regions where demand is greatest. Transfer schemes move water from surplus reservoirs to deficit regions to balance supply, though they are expensive, use energy for pumping and can damage river ecosystems at the point of abstraction.
Reset break
Part 16 of 21
Pause
That's sitting 4 of 5 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Challenge round
Part 17 of 21
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 18 of 21
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
____ for high-value, out-of-season and organic produce has grown, raising food miles and the carbon footprint of the food supply.
Frame every answer around ____, demand and the gap between them, then evaluate a strategy that closes the gap.
That structure works for food, water or ____ without modification.
Challenge round
Part 19 of 21
Game · Recall cards
Why do food miles matter?
Card 1 of 4
Mastery quiz
Part 20 of 21
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Resource management: food, water and energy in the UK
4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. Why do food miles matter?
2. Where is the UK's water deficit greatest?
3. Which change describes the recent UK energy mix?
4. What structure suits any resource question?
Lesson round-up
Part 21 of 21
Lesson round-up
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Ask LunaPart 1 of 21 · Watch & discover