Humans and the Energy Cycle Answers

Hunter-gatherer societies did not farm or raise livestock; they collected the resources they required from the local environment. In order to ensure a continuous supply of needed resources, hunter-gatherer societies followed their food sources and moved frequently.

While there are many elements that might be considered important for a quality life, the ultimate determination of what defines a quality life is a personal judgement based on individual experiences and values. People in different socioeconomic situations will value different things; a homeless person will likely value shelter and food higher than convenience and luxury. Different experiences and relationships will result in different priorities.

The goal of the World Resources Simulation Center is to study global resource use in order to solve current and predict future problems. The hope is that by identifying future problems now, many may be avoided, or minimized through proper planning. It is intended to answer the question of how world resources can be harnessed equitably by all of humanity.

Increased energy use leads to increased economic activity and an increased quality of life. Ever since the industrial revolution, advances in technology have let humans in industrialized nations increase their standard of living significantly, which required significant increases in the amount of energy harnessed per capita.

Research has shown that there is a direct relationship between the amount of energy used and overall economic activity in a country. In many ways quality of life is also directly related to the level of economic activity in a country because sufficient economic resources can ensure the physical components required for a high quality of life. In this way, energy use directly impacts quality of life by impacting economic activity.