Transcript Natural Resources

Natural Resources
Renewable/Non-Renewable Resources
Sustainability
Biodiversity
Conservation
Natural Resources
Anything made by nature and needed by
living organisms.
 Ex. Land, water, air, coal, oil, natural gas
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http://www.arizonamemorial.org/images/page-headers/locations/kalaupapa-natura
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Renewable Resources
– Can be replaced in reasonable amount of time
– Water, soil, air, and wildlife
Nonrenewable Resources
– Cannot replace rapidly or in fixed quantities
– Minerals and fossil fuels
Concern for conserving natural resources:
Concerns
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Population increases
Resources are consumed in greater quantities
Environment degrades as result of use
Demand for resources is major threat to
biodiversity
Land
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Used for a variety
of purposes:
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Farming
Housing
Mining
Recreation
http://www.waterencyclopedia.com/images/wsci_03_img0308.jpg
Water, Water Everywhere and
Not a Drop to Drink!
 Of ALL the water on Earth . . .
– Only 2.8% is freshwater
 Only .7% is not in glaciers or ice caps
– Only .01% is surface water
 Only .003% is potable (drinkable)!
www.iowastormwater.org
Air
 50%
of air pollutants in the US
come from transportation
 28%
from burning fuels for electric
and heat.
Fossil Fuels
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Derived from plants that died millions of
years ago, thus NON-RENEWABLE
 Includes
coal, oil and natural gas.
Coal
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The most abundant fossil fuel.
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Burned to produce electricity and for heating.
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70% of coal burned in US is to create electricity.
(Rest is used in manufacturing)
Coal
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2/3 of coal mined in US is through
surface mining, or strip mining.
Destroys surface.
In US, companies now required to restore land.
($$)
http://www.carlmaples.com/Arz_Strip_Mine.jpg
Coal
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Air pollution is a major concern.
70% of sulfur dioxide emissions come from
burning coal.
Many other air pollutants, including carbon
dioxide are also released.
Carbon dioxide has been linked to the
greenhouse effect.
http://www.solcomhouse.com/Greenhouse_Effect.gif
Coal
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Underground or Tunnel mining has an impact,
too.
Acids and chemicals pollute waterways.
Abandoned mines collapse leading to land
subsidence.
http://www.bgr.bund.de/DE/Themen/Geoumweltschutz/Bilder/Umw__Geoumwelt__Bild__2__g,property=default.jpg
Oil
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63% of oil used in the US is for transportation.
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25% industry
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9% heating homes and businesses
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3% generating electricity
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Over 6,000 products come from oil:
Plastics
Fertilizers
Pesticides
Medicines
Waxes
Asphalt
Natural gas
Gasoline
Oil
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Drilling occurs on land and in the ocean.
Spills can occur during the drilling process, while pumping
it from the ground, and during transportation.
Hazardous waste:
toxic chemicals, can burn, smothers organisms
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Crude oil comes from the ground.
It is then refined through fractional distillation
Heated Vaporized Cooled
Separated
Natural Gas
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Methane and other gasses, including butane and
propane.
41% of natural gas used in the US is for heating
residences and businesses.
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15% generates electricity
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3% transportation
Natural Gas
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Much less air pollution than coal and oil.
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Burns hotter.
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Easier to transport and use.
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Least abundant of the fossil fuels.
Biodiversity
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Richness and diversity of life on Earth
Certain species might be resources to
humans
– Use for agriculture, medicine, science,
and enjoyment
Extinction
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Complete loss of species of organism from Earth
5 major mass extinctions
– 65 million years ago—wiped out dinosaurs
– Believed caused by catastrophic natural
disasters
 Volcanic
eruptions
 Outbreak of disease
• Asteroid impacts
• Changes in climate
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Belief that humans are causing sixth mass extinction
– Result of:
 Habitat destruction
 Commercial hunting
 Introduction of invasive species
 Environmental degradation
– As population increases, more land needed for:
 Industry, housing, transportation, and
agriculture
 Introduction
of Invasive Species
– Exotic or alien species introduced
 Where not normally found
– Cause destruction of ecosystems
 Populations grow rapidly
 Spread from lack of natural enemies
– Plants, animals, fish, insects, and fungi
(Chestnut Blight – Zebra Mussels)
Emerald Ash Borer Larva
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Pollution of air, water, and soil
– Destroys and depletes habitats
 Industrial
processes and consumption of
natural resources
 Production
 Only
of energy
chance of survival for
some species—captivity
The Endangered Species Act
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Designed to protect endangered or threatened
species
– Endangered species
 Organisms whose population has decreased
 Immediate danger of becoming extinct
– Threatened species
 Numbers are declining
 Saved if steps taken to protect
Wildlife Management
Planned use, protection, and control of
wildlife
 Specialists
– Require very specific habitat
requirements
– Most susceptible
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(Pandas eat only specific type bamboo found in mountains of China)
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Techniques
– Habitat improvement
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Establishing wildlife refuges & wilderness areas
 Protected
ecosystem
 Contain only native species
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Controlled hunting and fisheries management
– Regulating seasons
– Limits on size & number species harvested
– Restocking
– Protection of breeding grounds
Think About
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What can you do to support and promote
recycling?
What can you do to support and promote
reusing?
What can you do to support and promote
refusing (reducing)?
Why must we protect the Earth’s animal and
plant species and resources?