Resources Gifts from the Earth and Sun

Energy Resources – Group ActivityGroup Activity Humans use many different materials in order to use energy Where does energy come from? –Sun (which?) –Earth itself (which?) Energy resources are either – –Renewable or –Nonrenewable Energy resources each have –Advantages and –Disadvantages Not distributed equally around globe Solar, wind, hydroelectric, biofuels, fossil fuels Geothermal, nuclear fission, hydrogen

Soil Soil formation takes timetakes time Essential for growing crops, etc.growing crops Soil erosion and conservationconservation –Good agricultural practices like windbreaks, contour plowing, terracing Soil contamination – fertilizers, pesticides, salinization from farming Soil depletion – certain plants use more than others, so crops are rotated

Mineral Resources – Gold mining lab Are nonrenewable and have environmental impacts Metals (greatest economic value) like gold, silver, copper, iron, uraniumeconomic Ore – rock that contains enough of a metal to be extracted economicallyextracted economically Nonmetals like gypsum, talc, sulfur, gems Other resources like gravel, sand Like energy resources, mineral resources are not equally distributed on the earth Modern civilization depends on themdepends on them What do you use that has minerals in it? Find 20 things in the room made of them NJ mineral resources activityresources activity

Vegetation and animals Deforestation issues – infertility of rain forest soils causing excess cutting of trees Importance –Food –Erosion control –Habitat for animals –Paper and wood –Recycling oxygen

Air Maintaining the composition – cycles will be covered later Evolution of the atmosphere - review Air pollution –Cars, factories – burning fossil fuels produces CO, NO 2, SO 2, particulates –Ozone(at the surface) and smog are byproducts of others above –Lead from smelters Acid rain – already discussed The heat budget global warming and ozone depletion – more in climate

Water – ArcExplorer Water activity hwWater activity Water budgets – supply & demand like money Sources – surface, ground, ocean, iceSources Pollution –Toxic chemicals – agriculture & home (pesticides), industrial wastes, sewage, garbage dumps –Salt runoff and Oil spills –Eutrophication (nitrogen fertilizers and phosphates from detergents) causing low O 2 levels in water Overuse and conservation - –Saltwater intrusion –Aquifer depletion –Ground level subsidence Importance of oceans – oxygen and climateImportance of oceans Water PowerPoint After the Storm VideoWater PowerPointAfter the Storm Video

Lakes can become polluted and undergo eutrophication, a process in which plant and animal decay uses up oxygen in the water. This causes the death of some less-tolerant species. This process can be speeded up by greater amounts of nutrient in the water. This can be human-caused when fertilizer from farms or homes, phosphate detergent or excess animal waste enters the water