How can people use natural resources responsibly?

You are walking through a lush forest You are walking through a lush forest. A soft cushion of needles keeps your foot steps silent. You smell the trees. You hear chipmunks in the branches. Birds dart back and forth. This is a beautiful place. But the trees may soon be cut down for lumber and paper. Can we keep our forests and still have the products we need?

What are Natural Resources? Natural resources are living things from the Earth that living things need. Trees are an example of natural resources. Trees are also an example of a renewable resource. Renewable resources are resources that can be replaced in a fairly short time.

Resources That Cannot be Replaced A nonrenewable resource is a resource that cannot be replaced. Many natural resources come from below the ground. Miners dig into the ground to get rocks called ores.

Ores Ores contain metals and other minerals that people use. Copper, iron, and aluminum are some useful metals. Hematite is an ore that contains the metal iron.

Hematite is an ore that contains iron. Coal forms from plants that live many years ago.

An Endless Supply of Resources Some natural resources are not used up. Plants need sunlight, air, and water to grow. We need air to breathe and water to drink. These resources are not used up. Sunlight, air, and water are always available.

protecting our resources Conservation is the wise use of natural resources so that people do not waste them or use them up. When people walk instead of riding in a car, they save fuel. When they choose products that have less packaging, they save paper and plastic. There is less garbage. Saving in these ways is called conservation.

Protecting our resources Water from homes is filtered through sand in ponds like these in Florida. Farmers use the recycled water for their orange trees.

Try the quiz on the next few slides! Click on the star with the correct answer

Nonrenewable resource Conservation Recycling Natural Resources Trees, iron ore, water, and air are each a _____. Nonrenewable resource Conservation renewable resource

Nonrenewable resource Conservation Recycling Natural Resources A natural resource that can be replaced in a fairly short period of time is a ______. Nonrenewable resource Conservation renewable resource

Nonrenewable resource Conservation Recycling Natural Resources A resource that cannot be replaced once it is used up is a ______. Nonrenewable resource Conservation renewable resource

Nonrenewable resource Conservation Recycling Natural Resources The saving and wise use of Earth’s resources is called ______. Nonrenewable resource Conservation renewable resource

Whoops! Please Try Again