Chapter 5 Section 1 Natural Resources Natural Resources

Chapter 5 Section 1 Natural Resources

Natural Resources • The Earth is a life support system for humanity • The Earth provides everything we need to survive • The air, sun, weather, and crust provide everything we need • For the first time in Earth’s history a living organism (humans) can influence the Earth’s life support system • A natural resource is any natural substance, organism, or energy form that living things use • Wood, Gasoline, and wind are all natural resources

Renewable Resources • Renewable resources are natural resources that can be used and replaced over a relatively short period of time • Trees and water are examples of renewable resources • Humans are starting to use trees up faster than they can replace them • Underground water reservoirs or (water tables) are starting to drop faster than they can be refilled

Nonrenewable Resources • Nonrenewable resources are natural resources that cannot be replaced or that can be replaced only over thousands or millions of years • Nonrenewable resources are only available for human use once. • Coal & natural gas are examples of nonrenewable resources

Conserving Natural Resources • Even if a natural resource is renewable or nonrenewable we should only use what is necessary • Recycling is the process by which used or discarded materials are treated for reuse • Things like aluminum cans can be recycled to preserve our natural resources