natural resources

NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES


Such things as fossil fuels (oil, coal, gas) and minerals
cannot be reproduced and therefore can be used up.*
These are called non-renewable resources.

Humans are using up natural resources at a great rate
and at a great cost to the health of the natural environment
and life on Earth.

How can natural resources
affect our environment unnaturally?

It is not the natural resources by themselves that harm the Earth's environment -
it is what humans do with the natural resources that cause the problems
to the environment and to the health of living things, including other human beings.

The burning of fossil fuels in factories to make products and power, and the fuels used by trucks, automobiles and jet planes have caused acid rain and a great increase in carbon dioxide and pollution in the atmosphere. And forests have been destroyed which used to absorb carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide traps heat in our lower atmosphere.

Scientists believe that human activities such as these have led to global warming.