Natural Resources

What are Natural Resources?

Natural resources are things that come from the Earth that we use to live. We don't make these things; nature provides them for us! Every time you eat, turn on a light, or take a breath, you are using a natural resource.

1. Renewable Resources These are resources that can be replaced or will not run out. Nature can make more of them relatively quickly.

• Sunlight: Used for heat and to make solar power.
• Air (Wind): We use wind to spin turbines and create electricity.
• Water: We need it for drinking, cleaning, and growing plants.
• Plants and Trees: We use them for food, oxygen, and wood for building. Because we can plant new seeds, they are renewable.

2. Non-Renewable Resources

These are resources that take millions of years to form. Once they are all used up, they are gone forever. We have to be very careful with how we use them.

• Fossil Fuels: Things like coal, oil, and natural gas that we burn for energy.
• Minerals and Metals: Gold, iron, and copper found deep in the ground.
• Rocks and Soil: Used for building roads and growing our food.

The 3 R's: Protecting Our Resources

Since some resources can run out or get dirty (pollution), we use the 3 R's to help save the Earth:

1. Reduce: Use less of something. For example, turn off the lights when you leave a room to save electricity.
2. Reuse: Use something again instead of throwing it away. For example, use a washable water bottle instead of a plastic one.
3. Recycle: Turn old things into new things. Paper, plastic, and metal can be sent to a factory to be remade into new products.

Lesson Summary

• Natural resources are gifts from nature.
• Renewable resources (Sun, Wind) can be replaced.
• Non-renewable resources (Coal, Oil) cannot be replaced easily.
• We must Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle to protect them.