Energy for our world! NATURAL RESOURCES

Resources Natural resources are essential to the survival and growth of the human race. Types: Renewable- have a finite volume and can be available as long as they are replenished at least at the same rate as they are being used up. Non-renewable- have a finite existence, these can be used up during a lifetime Inexhaustible- will not be used up under any conditions

Energy Sources Resources that provide energy: Wind Geothermal Water/Hydroelectric Oil Coal Natural Gas Nuclear Solar

Solar Energy Type: Indefinite Source: Radiation from the Sun’s rays Uses: Heating, electricity Benefits: $$$Free$$$, safe, unlimited resource Economic: Costs more than fossil fuels to produce large amounts of electricity; high start up costs but easy to maintain; can generate electricity and sell it to the power company Environmental: No air or water pollution; small amount of waste product to create conversion cells; may affect desert environment if not maintained Societal: Solar farms are considered visually unappealing.

Wind Type: Renewable Source: Kinetic energy of air in motion caused by uneven heating of Earth by the Sun Uses: Electricity Benefits: Clean fuel; no air or water pollution; no waste products Economic: What happens if the wind is not blowing? Need many windmills to generate enough electricity to make it worthwhile; costs less to generate electricity; can sell energy to power companies; 20% efficient Environmental: Negative impact on wild bird populations; visual impact on landscape Societal: Large wind farms; only realistic where wind blows most of the time; coast lines and bases of mountains

Geothermal Type: Renewable Source: Heat from magma close to Earth’s surface Uses: Heat; generates steam to turn generators and create electricity Benefits: Little pollution; able to be used on large scale and small scale Economic: Expensive to build initially, but inexpensive to operate; can be used as a direct power source Environmental: Little to no pollution; fossil fuels are not needed. Societal: Only available where magma is close to the surface; not realistic for all locations

Hydro Power Type: Renewable Source: Potential and kinetic energy from moving water of rivers Uses: Electricity Benefits: Twice as efficient as fossil fuel plants; provides water for crops and recreational use. Dams form lakes. Economic: After expense of building dam, electricity is cheap. Environmental: Almost no pollution; does disturb water ecosystems; affects migration patterns of fish Societal: Not all regions that need electricity are close to suitable water sources.

Nuclear Power Type: Nonrenewable Source: Controlled nuclear reactions Uses: Producing Electricity Benefits: Not dependent on fossil fuels, more efficient; very little fuel necessary to produce large amounts of energy Economic: Keeps cost of electricity down; money needed to mine uranium, etc. Environmental: Little pollution; need to cool water down before releasing back into streams; mining of uranium and other sources. If there is an accident, there is risk of releasing radiation into the environment. Societal: Possible targets by terrorists. Disasters that affect the plants can make an area unlivable to humans for thousands of years.

Oil Type: Nonrenewable Source: Remains of plants and animals living millions of years ago; under the Earth’s surface Uses: Burned for heat and to produce electricity; fuel for vehicles; help in production of medicines and plastics Benefits: Large amounts available for consumption in the U.S.; easier to convert to forms of energy Economic: Large industry worldwide; used in multiple products world wide; large import and export trade Environmental: Drilling disturbs environment; burning releases pollutants into air; spills can affect land and water environments and species long term Societal: U.S. is dependent on other countries for majority of oil needs. Dependency leads to political tension between countries.

Natural Gas Type: Nonrenewable Source: Fossil fuel found with oil below the Earth’s surface in a gas form called methane (odorless and colorless) Use: Burned for heat and to produce electricity; power vehicles; plastics; fertilizers; etc. Benefits: Cleanest burning fossil fuel; widely available Economic: Widely available; least expensive of fossil fuels Environmental: Cleanest burning fuel; releases green house gases when burned; requires pipelines which can affect ecosystems Societal: Large, visible pipelines and tankers are visually unappealing to some people; available in most places

Coal Type: Nonrenewable Source: Sedimentary rock fossil fuel under the Earth’s surface Uses: Over 90% used for generating electricity Benefit: Abundant – largest beds in the world are in the U.S.; once mining is complete, land used for farming, recreation, wildlife, etc. Economic: Cheapest fuel source when surface mined Environmental: Releases gasses that pollute water and air and land; creates smog Societal: Mining coal causes black lung disease. Over 100,000 men have lost lives in last 100 years and more than 1 million are permanently disabled.

Some Things to Think About and Discuss How does the use of fossil fuels affect the environment? How does the use of alternative energy sources affect the environment?

Geology & Resources Geology and the structure of landforms can affect the type of resources available in an area. Examples: -A volcanic island may not have oil or coal for energy. Energy needs to be imported. -Areas along coastlines would need to import lumber for construction from an outside ecosystem.

Eco-resort You and your group are part of a company that is starting a eco-tourism resort on a small island near a coral reef ecosystem. You need to run a business that does not produce a lot of pollution and is sustainable. 1. What challenges might you face being on an island? 2. What energy source would you choose and why? 3. What materials and resources would come from an outside ecosystem to make this eco-resort work?

Article: Why is Topsoil a Non-renewable Resource? Read the article in groups and write a brief summary including the following pieces of information: -Define topsoil, describe what it is made of -How it grows -How it erodes away -How long it takes to recreate -Why it is considered non-renewable -Main human interaction causing it to erode -Any solutions to increase soil formation