Resources Chapter Summary

Resources Chapter Summary

Types of resources and their uses.

What is a resource?

A resource is a supply of something for human use or consumption

And what kind of resources have we learned about?

• Non-renewable

• Renewable

• Land

• Air and Water

What is a non renewable energy source?

• A source of energy that takes millions of years to recover or remake

• AN energy source we cannot have back in our lifetimes once we use it

And can we name three examples?

Types of non-renewable energy

• Fossil Fuel Oil

• Coal

• Nuclear

• Natural Gas

Types of renewable energy

• Solar

• Wind

• Hydro

• Biomass

• Geothermal

Advantages of non renewables

• Cheap to find and transport

• Infrastructure already implemented

Disadvantages of non renewables

• Pollute the atmosphere

• Will run out, and soon!

• Geographically dependent

• Destroy natural habitats

Advantages of renewables

• Once implemented, cheap to maintain

• Great for the environment

• Non-geographical, any country can make their own!

Disadvantages of renewables

• Expensive to implement

What other types of resources are there?

Besides renewables and non-renewables?

Land, water and air!

Why are these considered resources as well?

Why is land a resource?

• We use it to grow crops and farms

• We use wood to make things and for fuel

• We need it to build places to live

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using our land resources?

What kind of impact are we having on the natural world?

Advantages

• We can use it for farmland and to grow crops

• We can uncover minerals from the ground to build the things we need

• We use it to build our cities, towns and villages.

Resources from the land, such as minerals we find in the earth, create everything we use for our daily lives!

What about disadvantages?

What are some of the negative impacts of using our land resources?

Using wood to build means large scale deforestation. Also, cutting down trees to create farmland.

Cutting down trees to replant things like soy farms destroy natural habitats and rainforests.

This contributes to climate change

Runoff from mines that we use to extract materials we use to make things like our toilets, or our iphones pollute rivers.

Mining also means we dig up and destroy large parts of our land, making them uninhabitable.

Waste products from our day-to-day lives pollute the environment.

What about our air and water?

Are air and water considered resources?

Yes!

All living things need air and water to survive!

What do we use air and water for?

• To breath

• To drink

• To wash

• To clean

• To produce energy

Other organisms also use air and water!

• For photosynthesis

• Also for drinking and washing

Why is our air and water considered a resource we need to proect?

Isn't there an unlimited amount of air and water?

Actually, no.

There in fact is not much water we can use! Only 3% of the earths water is fresh water that organisms need

And only 0.9% of that is accessible to us!

All living things need water

Not just humans, but every single living organism needs water, so we have to share that 0.9%

And we are destroying the very little we have.

Now is the time to switch to renewable energy. Pollution from our current energy systems is not sustainable!

Once we pollute our fresh water, it becomes harder for us to use.

We cannot drink it and it is more difficult to purify for other purposes also.

And it isn't just us that are affected.

Non renewable energy resources are also polluting the air

Polluted air causes smog, which is harmful to all living creatures.

Precipitation in polluted air causes acid rain, which damages out environment.

So what can we do?

Things we can do globally

• Government legislation, like the Clean Water Act or the Paris Agreement

• Move towards renewable energy sources

• Create businesses that use green and plastic free models.

Things we can do individually.

• Be conscious of our energy use. Don't leave lights or air conditioners on.

• Avoid plastics where possible and make sure to properly dispose of trash and waste.

• Support businesses that offer environmentally friendly alternatives, like using metal or bamboo straws.

• Don't waste water

• Don't litter

Is there good news?

The world is changing. Because of us.

For the first time in human history, the tide of public opinion is changing. it is up to us to share our knowledge about what is happening to our world, and help other people realize the importance of our choices.

Knowledge is power.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flNpfvXC8M8&ab_channel=ConservationInternational

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-nEYsyRlYo&ab_channel=NationalGeographic