Humans Depend on Natural Resources
How do humans depend on Earth’s resources?
Humans depend on Earth for various resources for food, water, and fuel. Some resources are renewable (which means they are naturally replenished), and some are nonrenewable (these are not replenished).
Materials important to us are not distributed evenly across the planet. For example, oil can be found in Texas and in California, but not in New York. Illinois is a coal producing state, and corn and soybeans come from Kansas and Oklahoma. Many minerals, such as gold or copper, are inside Earth's crust and need to be extracted. Sometimes extraction processes are easy, and sometimes the process is complicated. As technology gets better, it is easier to extract what we need from the planet. However with so many people on the planet utilizing Earth's resources, it is becoming difficult for everyone to get what they need when they need it.
Humans have always lived in regions where there are available resources. Because resources are not always available to some populations in certain geographical regions, relationships develop between groups of people. This creates all kinds of economic and political conversations and sometimes controversial debates. Some resources that were available in the past, such as food and drinkable water, are becoming less available. This sometimes creates drastic and tragic situations for entire populations of people.
All forms of resource use have economic, social, environmental, and political costs and benefits. New technologies and regulations can help mitigate (lessen) problems of limited resources. For example, renewable resources (wind, solar, wave power) can take the place of nonrenewable sources, such as coal and oil, if the relevant technology and legislation exist. Advances in science and technology can reduce the cost of energy from renewable resources.
Humans depend on Earth for various resources for food, water, and fuel. Some resources are renewable (which means they are naturally replenished), and some are nonrenewable (these are not replenished).
Materials important to us are not distributed evenly across the planet. For example, oil can be found in Texas and in California, but not in New York. Illinois is a coal producing state, and corn and soybeans come from Kansas and Oklahoma. Many minerals, such as gold or copper, are inside Earth's crust and need to be extracted. Sometimes extraction processes are easy, and sometimes the process is complicated. As technology gets better, it is easier to extract what we need from the planet. However with so many people on the planet utilizing Earth's resources, it is becoming difficult for everyone to get what they need when they need it.
Humans have always lived in regions where there are available resources. Because resources are not always available to some populations in certain geographical regions, relationships develop between groups of people. This creates all kinds of economic and political conversations and sometimes controversial debates. Some resources that were available in the past, such as food and drinkable water, are becoming less available. This sometimes creates drastic and tragic situations for entire populations of people.
All forms of resource use have economic, social, environmental, and political costs and benefits. New technologies and regulations can help mitigate (lessen) problems of limited resources. For example, renewable resources (wind, solar, wave power) can take the place of nonrenewable sources, such as coal and oil, if the relevant technology and legislation exist. Advances in science and technology can reduce the cost of energy from renewable resources.