Earth Science Daily Challenge, 1/4 Turn in your 2 challenges from last week! Name at least four natural resources that you have used already today and describe how you used them.

Earth Science Daily Challenge, 1/5 What is the difference between renewable and nonrenewable resources? What kinds of things determine how quickly natural resources are used?

Resource Use Game Rules Each person represents a different country. Each piece of candy represents a million ocean fish. Each country must take at least a million fish each year (round), but can take as much as they feel they need. At first – there is no communication between countries (No talking!) At the end of each year (each round), the remaining fish population will reproduce and double in size. FISH ARE A RENEWABLE RESOURCE!

Renewable Resources Game RULES The candies represent a renewable resource that every country needs (such as ocean fish). You represent a country that harvests the resource (your people eat fish). You may not communicate with others. (No Talking!) You can take as many resources as you want on each turn. At the end of each round, the resource is renewed by doubling the remaining population.

The Tragedy of the Commons Commonly “owned” resources are almost always abused / used recklessly. WHY ? Pressure to get some before it’s gone. Agreements to conserve are difficult to make. Even with agreements to conserve, one or two “abusers” can still deplete the resource. Over the short-term, cheaters/abusers “win” in terms of benefiting economically. Can we run out of a renewable resource? YES! If we use it faster than it renews.

TYPES of Natural Resources Non-Renewable vs. Renewable? Non-Renewable a fixed amount & we will run out Potentially Renewable only if we use it slower than it replenishes Perpetually Renewable can’t really be used up or destroyed

Earth Science Daily Challenge, 1/6 Explain three important lessons you learned in yesterday’s renewable resource management game.

TYPES of Natural Resources Traditional vs. Alternative? Traditional used to be wood  now it’s fossil fuels Alternative whatever isn’t traditional is “alternative” alternatives may or may not be renewable

Earth Science Daily Challenge, 1/7 What do you think the artist who designed the image below meant by it? What was her/his main message?

How electricity is generated Something (steam, water, wind…) spins a turbine which runs a generator to make electricty.

Nuclear Reactors Use the fission chain reaction of radioactive materials to heat water to turn a turbine which runs a generator to make electricity.

Nuclear energy is good because it produces NO GREENHOUSE GASSES. BUT, “spent” fuel rods and basically everything that was near them is radioactive waste that will be dangerous to living things for tens of thousands of years!

Where is the nearest nuclear power plant? Red Wing, MN (~33 miles from here)

Earth Science Daily Challenge, 1/8 What do you think about nuclear power? Should we be using more or less of it to meet our energy needs?

Earth Science Daily Challenge, 1/11 As we watch Modern Marvels – Renewable Energies today, watch for the limitations of each energy source. They will discuss Solar, Wind, Geothermal, Biofuels, and Tidal power. If these renewables are so great, why aren’t we already using them more?