Natural Resources and Environmental Concepts

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Materials or substances that occur in nature and can be used for economic gain.

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Natural Resource

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A resource that can be replenished naturally over a relatively short period (e.g., solar energy, wind, water, forests).

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Renewable Resource

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A resource that cannot be easily replaced once used, as its formation takes millions of years (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals).

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Non-Renewable Resource

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The consumption of a resource faster than it can be replenished.

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Resource Depletion

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The process of removing resources from the earth (e.g., mining, drilling, logging).

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Extraction

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Transforming raw materials into usable products.

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Processing

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Using resources in a way that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

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Sustainable Use/Sustainability

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The careful management and protection of natural resources.

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Conservation

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Non-renewable energy sources formed from the remains of ancient organisms (coal, oil, natural gas).

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Fossil Fuels

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The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

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Biodiversity