Learning Targets“I Can…”

-Distinguish between renewable and nonrenewable resources and give examples of each.

-Discuss how natural resources are in jeopardy of being used up (depleted) and ruined (degraded).

-Describe how using the four Rs can stop depletion and degradation.

-List ways humans can help to improve the quality and quantity of our resources.

Resources and Their Management

Introduction: A Lesson from Hawaii

BEFORE

AFTER

Introduction

Everything we produce depends on items in our environment called natural resources. Unfortunately, the quantity and quality of these resources is in danger.

Natural resources can be nonliving

1. Energy Resourcesa. Sunb. Windc. Tidesd. Riverse. Fossil Fuels (Natural Gas, Gasoline, Oil, Coal)f. Nuclear

Natural resources can be nonliving

Biomass

Hydropower

Geothermal

Wind

Solar

Petroleum

Natural Gas

Coal

Nuclear

Propane

Natural resources can be nonliving

2. We burn fossil fuels to gain energy. They are a limited and nonrenewable resource.

a. Limited resource: will be used up completely someday

b. Nonrenewable resource: cannot replace itself or be replaced by other processes

Natural resources can be nonliving

3. Water, carbon, and nitrogen are nonliving resources that are recycled throughout Earth

Natural resources can be living

1. Living resources are considered to be renewable

*Renewable resource: capable of reproducing themselves

Natural resources can be living

2. Includes plants, animals, and products from plants and animalsa. Consumptive use actually uses up the

entire organism (ex. Cutting down a tree to make furniture)

b. Nonconsumptive use is only using a product from that organism for a sustained period of time (ex. Using a tree to collect maple syrup)

Many resources are being depleted (reducing the amount that exists)

1. Limited, nonrenewable resources can be totally depleted

2. Renewable resources can be depleted if they are used up faster than they can be replaced

3. A type of renewable resource depletion caused by humans is overexploitation/overharvesting

Overexploitation / OverharvestingOverexploitation refers to unsustainable harvesting of a renewable resource which can lead to the collapse of the population. This can result in extinction.

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Resources are degraded if using it lowers its quality

1. Air is degraded by increased carbon dioxide levels that lead to the Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming

2. Water is degraded by dissolved chemicals

3. Soil is degraded by removal of nutrients

a. Desertification

b. Deforestation

Sustainable Development: The Four Rs

1. (Source) reduction: reduces the amount and/or toxic nature of wastes and consumption of resource

2. Recycling: sorting wastes into its components for reuse

3. Reuse: using a product again in its original form with little processing

4. Restoration: bringing back a resource