What is Natural Resources

 

Original Photo by GEF

Defining Natural Resources

If we look around, we can see how lucky we are. We are blessed with bodies of water such as rivers, lakes, and oceans and different land forms like hills, valleys and mountains. Our country is also home to many kinds of animals and plants. The air, water, plants, animals, soil, rocks and minerals are collectively called natural resources. Natural resources are the things that we can find in our environment that we use to meet our needs. These resources are not made by humans or any scientific experiments inside the laboratories but they exist in nature. There are two types of natural resources: renewable and nonrenewable resources.

Types of Natural Resources

Renewable resources are materials that can be replaced easily or have the potential to be replaced over time. On the other hand, nonrenewable resources are natural resources that are in limited supply or once consumed, cannot be replaced.

Can you think of examples of renewable and nonrenewable resources? The foods that we eat come from plants and animals. When we consume the plants around us, these plants can be replaced by planting them again after each harvest. We also eat animals. But animals grow and reproduce new ones. The young animals that are born replenished the animals that were consumed. Therefore, plants and animals are renewable resources because they can be replaced after some time. Meanwhile, coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of nonrenewable resources because they will eventually run out.

Renewable Energies and their Sources

1. Solar Energy - Energy from the sun
2. Geothermal Energy - Harnessed from heat within the Earth
3. Hydropower - Derived from fast-flowing water
4. Wind Energy - Generated from wind
5. Biomass - Energy from decomposition of organic wastes