ABSTRACT
The spiking of oil prices in 2008 put resource issues into mainstream global headlines for the first time since the 1970s. The global communications explosion is causing a worldwide revolution of rising expectations, which puts further pressure on the resource base—not just on energy supplies, but on other raw materials as well. Resource issues are also being exacerbated by environmental concerns, as the increasing pollution associated with industrialization exacts ever-greater costs, both economic and in terms of human well-being. The present technology is polluting, and a major part of that pollution stems from the production and consumption of resources. The embryonic field of nanotechnology also aspires to the organization of matter at molecular or near-molecular scales, and has attracted much attention recently for its possible applications in such fields as information handling and medicine. The chapter also presents the overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
