Unit 2 Natural Resources

Lesson 1 What are Resources?

What is a Resource?

Resource ANYTHING that is useful to Humans!

What is a Natural Resource?

Natural Resource A Materials found in Nature that has usefulness and Economic value, such as Trees, Water, and Minerals

Lesson 1 Renewable Resources

What is a Renewable Resource?

Renewable Resources A Resource that can be replaced fairly quickly, such as Forests and Animals

Lumber

Cattle

What is a Non-Renewable Resource?

Non-Renewable Resource A Resource that CANNOT be Replenished once it is used up, such as a Fossil Fuel. * Or is replenished so “slowly” that it is basically non-renewable

Oil

Natural Gas

Coal

Resources

Some Important Terms!

Tropical Rainforests

Tropical Rainforests A large forest in an area with Heavy Rainfall and very Warm Temperatures. Many are burned and cleared in South and Central America, Africa, and Asia Many forests and cut down in Canada due to Logging These are usually replanted with Fast Growing Seedlings

Resource Depletion The use of a Resource until there is None Left People will take and sell whatever is profitable to them This puts a great pressure on Resources A great possibility of Running Out of Resources Many Animals and Species have become Extinct due to this!

Technology Whether or not people can turn something into a resource depends on Technology Technology is the use of scientific knowledge and skills for useful, practical purposes to meet the needs and goals of people

Something New… Non-Renewable Resources cannot replenish themselves because they are limited in number, OR they are renewed incredibly slowly over Millions of years… With this said, are Renewable Resources ALWAYS Renewable…?

Renewable Resources have their Limits… If Exploited or Over-Harvested, even Renewable resources can be DESTROYED or USED UP. For example, Trees can re-grow or can be replanted. However, if the land is Over-Harvested, damaged, or additional Trees are not planted, the Tree Population cannot recover! This is called Deforestation!

What about Animals? Numerous Animals are Natural Resources However, if we farm these animals too quickly and do not give them time to reproduce and have babies, Extinction can be the result! Farming itself can also cause animal extinction inadvertently! Do you guys know any animals that have become extinct?

Animals that we ATE into Extinction!

Dodo

Steller’s Sea Cow

Passenger Pigeon

3rd Type of Resource Renewable Non-Renewable Can anyone name the Third One?

Flow Resource! What could this be?

Flow Resource Doesn’t fit into EITHER category! A Resource that can be used and replenished at the same time, such as a River Current or Solar Energy. It MUST be used When and Where is occurs Naturally and Replenished itself naturally What others could there be? 3 Big Ones!

Water (Hydro)

Solar

Wind

Why are Flow Resources so Useful?

Flow Resources Requires Advanced Technologies to convert to harness and convert to Electricity Allows us to break our dependencies on Oil (Gas) as a way of creating energy!