Lesson 2: Renewable Resources

Let’s Refresh! What are they?

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

Renewable Resources Mammals give birth Birds, Reptiles and Fish Produce Eggs Trees, Flowers, and Grasses drop Seeds which are then spread by the Wind Air and Soil are locked in Natural Cycles that restore their Oxygen and Nitrogen Contents Water is Purified as it moves through the Water Cycle

Fresh Water The Water Cycle is a Natural System This means that it happens naturally without human interference Heat from the Sun Evaporates Moisture causing it to rise as Water Vapour It leaves behind all of the Salts and Pollutants

Fresh Water As it goes into the Atmosphere, this moisture cools and condenses into Clouds This is similar to the water droplets that form on the bathroom window when you take a shower!

Fresh Water The water then falls back to earth as Precipitation (Rain) Snow Sleet Hail Eventually works its way back into the Ocean and other bodies of water Water can also be a “Flow Resource” if it is FLOWING down a River

Fresh Water Fresh Water is a precious Renewable Resource! Most of the World’s Fresh Water is found in Canada and the USA in the Great Lakes and other Large Lakes! 99% of the world’s fresh water is Frozen as Glaciers and Ice Caps The greatest part of the remaining 1% is known as Groundwater

Groundwater Water that is Under the Surface of the Earth and can be reached only through Wells Many Communities around the world rely on groundwater as their ONLY supply of fresh water!

Forests What first comes to mind when you think of a forest?

Forests Can be used for Recreational use such as hiking, camping, skiing, snowmobiling, looking at nature (birds) Also have Economic Value by cutting down trees for Lumber Used for Building Materials and Paper Forests can also be used for Food such as Walnuts and Maple Syrup

Forests This biggest use for forests is of course Lumber, and trees are cut down in a system called Logging We would not be where we are today as a society if we did not have wood to build things! There are 3 major types of Logging!

Selective Cutting Companies harvest only the Mature Trees (big ones) either individually or in small groups, leaving much of the forest behind. They “pick and choose” trees

Shelterwood Cutting Companies clear-cut smaller areas in forests where trees are of the same general species and age.

Clear Cutting Companies prefer clear-cutting, claiming it is the cheapest, fastest, and safest for gathering wood. Every tree over a large area is cut down.

Tropical Rainforests The MAJOR PROBLEMS of forest destruction in the world happen in Tropical Rainforests. Here, they are Clear Cut for Lumber, or simply Burned Down to create space for settlements, ranches, and farms Basically for BUILDINGS This threatens Rare Plants, Animals, and Birds

Fish Catching fish is a great Renewable Resource However, Over-Fishing and not giving fish enough time to reproduce has taken a toll! Pollution also does not help Commercial Fishing on the Oceans faces Resource Depletion Canadian Explorers

Fish Oceans cover ¾ of the Earth’s Surface This has led people to think that there are virtually Unlimited amounts of fish! However, most fish are concentrated on a Continental Shelf along the edge of continents. This is a shallow zone of water along the edge of continents.

Fishing Technology Recent Technology has allowed MASSIVE Fishing Fleets to catch as many fish as possible and take enormous hauls. The scale (size) of this technology is one of the main reasons for Overfishing and Resource Depletion. The HUGE Nets take in everything from the sea, including Dolphins, Sharks, and Sea Turtles

Fishing Technology The Fish Population cannot renew itself because too many fish are caught including many Young Fish needed for reproduction. The Nets destroy the sea bottom as they are dragged Ocean Trawling is basically the same as Clear Cutting but for fishing. It takes EVERYTHING!!!

Simpsons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-QeTbmchvQ