Material Sourcing (AQA GCSE Design & Technology): Revision Note
Exam code: 8552
Ecological issues in the design and manufacture of products
Deforestation
Deforestation is the process of cutting down and clearing trees and forests to prepare the land for other uses
Trees cut down as part of timber production can be done so through both:
Controlled deforestation, i.e. the company has permission to cut down the trees and replace them
Uncontrolled deforestation, i.e. the process is illegal and will likely be unsustainable
Trees cut down can be used for products like furniture, paper or the construction industry
Deforestation can be negative because it often results in the loss of habitats for plants and animals
A loss of trees can also result in weaker soil structures
This means that when there is heavy rain, a lack of roots in the soil means the soil can turn into mud and slide away, creating mudslides
This can cause destruction in local communities
Cutting down trees through deforestation does not look very nice for residents, as often the land is cleared rather than being replanted
Worked Example
Discuss why deforestation might have a negative impact on a local environment
Answer
Deforestation involves the cutting down of trees for the production of timber or to clear land for another purpose. Cutting down all of the trees in an area destroys a habitat where other plants and animals live. Once trees are cut down, the land is often too poor to replant. Tree roots help to stabilise soil. When there are no trees, the land can sometimes be at risk of flooding or mudslides, because the soil will be able to move more easily when there is heavy rain. The loss of trees also impacts how the local area looks to people who live there.
Mining
Mining is a process of extracting natural resources from the earth by digging them up
Resources include
Metals such as iron, copper or aluminium
Fossil fuels such as coal
Minerals such as limestone or stone, such as sandstone
Mining can take place underground in a mine, or involve the large-scale open digging of materials at the surface
Drilling
Drilling is the process of creating deep holes in the Earth's surface to access naturally forming resources
Resources include oil, natural gas and sometimes minerals
Drilling can take place on land or in the sea on offshore oil rigs
Resources like oil are used for fuels, polymers and wider manufacturing applications
Farming
Farming is the process of growing crops or raising livestock for food and raw materials for manufacturing
Raw materials include crops like cotton, which is used to make natural textiles.
Some crops, such as seeds or nuts, can be used to create bio-oils or biofuels
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