Resources & their Types

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Resource
● A resource is something useful to people.
● Any material part of the earth that satisfies human needs and values.
● Examples: Rocks, Minerals, Soil, Rivers, Plants and animals.

● Kinds of Values:
● Economic Value – production
● Legal Value – clean air, water (quality)
● Aesthetic Value – beauty of nature (forest, mountain, lake)
● Ethical Value – responsibility to preserve (natural parks for the future)

● Types of Resources: Natural and Manmade Resources

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Natural Resources

● A resource is anything useful or can be made useful to humans to meet their

● Natural resources can also be defined as the resources that exist (on the
planet) independent of human actions. These are the resources that are
found in the environment and are developed without the intervention of
humans.

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Natural Resources

● Common examples
of natural resources
include air, sunlight,
water, soil, stone,
plants, animals and
fossil fuels.

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Types of Natural Resources
Renewable Resources Non-Renewable Resources
The resources which Natural resources that exist in
can be renewed and finite quantities and cannot be
reproduced by physical, replenished on a human
chemical or mechanical timescale. Once depleted,
processes are known as they are gone forever or take
renewable resources. millions of years to form again.
 Renewed or  Not renewed / replenished
replenished fast fast
 Not affected by  Affected by human activity
human activity  Over 85% of energy used
 e.g., solar energy, in the world is from non-
water, air, biomass, renewable resources
wood.  e.g., fossil fuels, coal, oil
and nuclear power.

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Renewable Resources

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Solar Energy
● Solar energy is derived from the
sun using technologies such as
solar panels and solar thermal
systems, offering a virtually
inexhaustible and highly reliable
power source.
● It can be used for electricity
generation in homes and
businesses, heating water and
indoor spaces, and powering
small devices and vehicles.
● With its clean, environmentally
friendly nature and global
abundance, solar energy
significantly reduces reliance on
fossil fuels while providing a
sustainable and readily available
energy solution. 7
Wind Energy
● Wind energy harnesses the power of moving
air through wind turbines that convert kinetic
energy into electricity, making it a renewable
resource that can be utilized indefinitely.
● It is widely used for generating electricity
across residential, commercial, and industrial
sectors, as well as for pumping water in rural
and agricultural areas.
● Additionally, wind energy offers significant
environmental benefits, such as eliminating
greenhouse gas emissions, reducing
dependence on fossil fuels, and creating job
opportunities in the renewable energy sector.

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Hydropower
● Hydropower harnesses energy from
flowing or falling water through dams or
turbines, relying on the natural water
cycle to continuously replenish this
resource.
● It is primarily used to generate
electricity in hydroelectric power plants
and supports irrigation and water
management systems.
● This form of energy is highly efficient
and reliable, produces no direct
pollution, and offers additional benefits
such as flood control and water
storage.
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Biomass
● Biomass energy is generated from organic
materials such as wood, agricultural waste, and
animal manure, and it can be continuously
replenished through sustainable agricultural
and forestry practices.
● It is used to produce biofuels like ethanol and
biodiesel, as well as to generate electricity and
heat in biomass power plants.
● This energy source efficiently utilizes waste
products, offers a viable alternative to fossil
fuels, and can be sourced locally, which helps
reduce transportation costs.
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Geothermal Energy
● Geothermal energy is harnessed
from the heat stored beneath the
Earth's surface using geothermal
power plants and heat pumps.
● It is virtually inexhaustible over
human timescales and is used for
generating electricity as well as
heating buildings and greenhouses.
● Its key benefits include providing a
reliable and consistent energy
source, having minimal
environmental impact, and reducing
dependence on fossil fuels.

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Forests - Timber
● Forests are vital renewable
resources that provide timber, fuel,
and raw materials while supporting
biodiversity and regulating climate.
● They naturally regenerate or can be
replenished through reforestation
and sustainable practices.
● Forests are used for construction,
paper production, and as a source
of fuelwood, while also serving as
habitats that sequester carbon
dioxide.
● This not only helps maintain
ecological balance but also offers
livelihoods for millions of people.

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Forests:
Overall

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Soil
● Soil forms the foundation for plant
growth, agriculture, and entire
ecosystems, and while it can be
renewed through natural processes,
sustainable farming practices are
essential to prevent its degradation.
● It is crucial for agriculture and food
production, supports forestry and
habitats for diverse species, and is
used in construction and land
development.
● Additionally, soil plays a key role in
ensuring food security, maintaining
ecosystem health, filtering and
storing water to reduce flood risks,
and providing raw materials for
construction. 14
Importance of Using Renewable Natural Resources
● Renewable resources offer numerous benefits, including environmental
sustainability by reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, and economic
growth through job creation and investments in renewable technologies.

● They enhance energy security by diversifying energy sources and reducing

● Furthermore, sustainable management of these resources supports biodiversity

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Challenges of Using Renewable Natural Resources
● Using renewable natural resources presents several challenges, including
intermittency issues as sources like solar and wind depend on variable weather
conditions.

● Additionally, high initial costs for infrastructure, such as solar panels and wind
farms, can be a barrier despite long-term savings.

● Large-scale renewable projects may also lead to conflicts over land and
resources, impacting local ecosystems, wildlife, and communities. Furthermore,
technological limitations in energy storage and distribution, particularly in battery
efficiency for solar power, require further advancements.

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Sustainable Development and Renewable Natural
Resources
● Sustainable development involves balancing environmental
protection, social equity, and economic progress.
● For instance, sustainable management practices include:
○ Reforestation: which restores forests and prevents soil erosion
○ Sustainable agriculture: which employs methods like crop
rotation, organic farming, and efficient water conservation to
maintain soil fertility and productivity
○ Renewable energy policies: where governments promote solar,
wind, and hydropower through incentives and regulations to
foster clean energy
○ Water conservation practices: that reduce waste and protect
freshwater sources.
● Together, these strategies exemplify sustainable development
by ensuring that natural resources are managed responsibly for
long-term ecological health and societal well-being. 17
Non-Renewable Resources

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Fossil Fuels
● Fossil fuels—including
coal, oil, and natural
gas—are formed from the
ancient remains of plants
and animals that
underwent chemical
transformation under high
pressure and temperature
over millions of years.

● Oil and natural gas were created from organisms that lived in water and were buried
under ocean or river sediments while coal is formed from the remains of trees, ferns,
and other plants that lived 300 to 400 million years ago.
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Fossil Fuels
● These fuels are the
backbone of global
energy production,
powering transportation,
electricity generation,
heating, and industrial
processes.

● However, their combustion releases greenhouse gases and pollutants that contribute to
climate change and environmental degradation, making their continued use a
significant sustainability challenge.
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Nuclear Fuels
● Nuclear fuels such as uranium and
thorium are extracted from mineral
deposits and used primarily in nuclear
reactors to generate electricity through
the process of nuclear fission.
● Although nuclear power produces
large amounts of energy with relatively
low greenhouse gas emissions during
operation, it comes with challenges
including the risks of nuclear
accidents, the long-term management
of radioactive waste, and issues
related to nuclear proliferation.
● The supply of these fuels is also finite,
as they are dependent on the limited
geological deposits available.
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Metals and Minerals
● This category includes a wide array of materials
such as iron, copper, aluminum, gold, and rare
earth elements that are essential for modern
industrial activities.
● These non-renewable resources are mined from
the Earth and serve as fundamental components
in construction, electronics, transportation, and
various high-tech applications.
● The extraction and processing of metals and
minerals are often energy-intensive and can have
severe environmental impacts, including habitat
destruction, soil and water contamination, and
significant energy consumption, emphasizing the
importance of recycling and sustainable extraction
practices.
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Difference between Renewable and Non-Renewable
Natural Resources
Aspect Renewable Natural Resources Non-Renewable Natural Resources

Replenishment Naturally replenished over short timescales Form over millions of years; finite and irreplaceable
Rate (e.g., sunlight daily, forests decades). once depleted (e.g., coal, oil).

Availability Essentially infinite if managed sustainably (e.g., Finite supply; extraction leads to permanent
wind, solar). depletion (e.g., fossil fuels, uranium).

Environmental Generally lower impact, but not always zero High impact (e.g., air/water pollution, habitat
Impact (e.g., hydropower disrupts ecosystems). destruction, greenhouse gas emissions).

Examples Solar, wind, hydropower, biomass, geothermal, Coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear (uranium), minerals
forests, freshwater. (gold, copper), rare earth elements.

Sustainability Sustainable long-term with proper management Unsustainable; reliance leads to eventual scarcity
(e.g., reforestation, controlled fishing). and environmental degradation. 23
Difference between Renewable and Non-Renewable
Natural Resources
Aspect Renewable Natural Resources Non-Renewable Natural Resources

Usage Duration Can be used indefinitely if not Finite use; once extracted and consumed, they are gone
overexploited (e.g., sunlight). (e.g., oil reserves).
The reliability of supply is often
dependent on the weather.

Economic Costs Higher initial infrastructure costs but Produces large amounts of energy, so lower short-term
lower long-term operational costs (e.g., costs but rising prices due to scarcity (e.g., fossil fuel
solar farms). extraction).
Their use can produce pollutants. Management of
pollution can be costly.

Dependence on Require sustainable practices to avoid Depletion is inevitable regardless of management once
Human depletion (e.g., overfishing makes fish extracted (e.g., mining).
Management stocks non-renewable).
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Manmade Resources
● The things that do not occur in the natural world but have value or add
worth to human life is defined as Man-made Resources.
● Some examples of resources are paper, rubber, plastic, etc. All the
things where human beings can interfere, intervene, generate, modify,
and control are also known as Man-made resources.
● Metals, wood, etc. are natural resources, but human beings use it to
build roads, buildings, etc. These are generally renewable as they can
be created again through the same process.
● Some of the man-made resources are very useful to the survival of
human beings and are in high demand. One prime example of a man-
made resource is medicines without which people will not be able to
survive as a lack of proper medication can make people sick, and they
will ultimately face death.
● Man-made Resources are sometimes considered harmful as it
destroys the natural environment. They use more energy and
resources so that the chances of polluting the environment become
greater.
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