Natural Resources

A natural resource is any energy source, organism, or substance found in nature that people use. These resources are limited which means they could run out or be used up. Not only are humans using these materials, but nature is using them too. The difference between humans and nature is that nature doesn't waste the resources.

Natural resources are found in all Earth’s systems. In the atmosphere natural resources include air, temperature, rain, and sunshine. In the hydrosphere natural resources include rivers, lakes, oceans, and underground water. In the biosphere natural resources include microbes, plants, and animals. In the geosphere natural resources include minerals, rocks, and soil.

Cost analysis is a comparison of the likely costs of a plan or project with the benefit it will bring. Cost analysis help people, corporations, and governments decide if the use of natural resource is worth the risk of consuming them. As we obtain or use the natural resources we pollute the environment and deplete the resources. Is that cost effective?

Sustainability is key when developing plans for the use of natural resources. Sustainability is when the needs of the present population can be met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. If the natural resources cannot be sustain then we will run out of them.

Renewable Resources are natural resource that CAN be replaced through natural processes at a rate that is equal to or greater than the rate at which they are being used. Examples are: air, sunlight, wind, freshwater, soil, animals, and plants. Air can be cleaned and purified by plants during the process of photosynthesis as they remove carbon dioxide from the air and replace it with oxygen. The water cycle allows Earth’s water to be used over and over within the environment.

Topsoil is formed to replace soil that has been carried away by wind and water (although new soil forms very slowly). Trees and other new plants grow to replace those that have been cut down or died. Animals are born to replace animals that have died. Sunlight, or solar energy, is considered a renewable resource because it will continue to be available for billions of years. It provides a source of energy for all processes on Earth.

Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that CANNOT be replaced at the same rate at which the resource is consumed. Examples are: coal, natural gas, oil, diamonds, metals, minerals, and uranium. Nonrenewable resources are exhaustible because they are being extracted and used at a much faster rate than the rate at which they were formed.

Fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, oil) exist in a fixed amount and can only be replaced by processes that take millions of years. They are formed from ancient plants and animals that have been buried in Earth’s crust for millions of years. High heat and pressure chemically change the plants and animals into fossil fuels that burn easily and produce a lot of heat. When fossil fuels are burned they harm the environment by producing excess carbon dioxide, harmful acids, and other forms of pollution.

There are two methods we can use to extend our natural resources: conservation and recycling. Conservation is the careful management of vital natural resources to meet the needs of humans. It means protecting, restoring, and managing natural resources so that they last as long as possible. Conservation also reduces the amount of pollution.

Two methods of conservation are reduce and reuse. Ways to Reduce: Choose less product packaging Turn the water off when you are not using it Produce less garbage Make your home more energy efficient Ways to Reuse: Refill plastic water bottles Donate old clothes and other items Rinse and reuse storage bags Find creative ways to reuse containers

Our natural resources can also be extended by recycling. Recycling is the collecting and reprocessing of resources or products to make into new products. It involves recovering materials that people usually throw away and creating new materials from them. Items commonly recycled include: - Glass- Aluminum Cans - Certain plastics- Scrap Iron - Gold- Copper - Silver

References: McDougal Littell 8 th Grade Science Textbook A.3.1 & 2 tresource.html