...Natural resources are resources that exist without the actions of humankind. This includes all valued characteristics such as magnetic, gravitational, and electrical properties and forces. On earth we include sunlight, atmosphere, water, land, air(includes all minerals) along with all vegetation and animal life that naturally subsists upon or within the heretofore identified characteristics and substances.[1][2][3][4] Particular areas such as the rainforest in Fatu-Hiva are often characterized by the biodiversity and geodiversity existent in their ecosystems. Natural resources may be further classified in different ways. Natural resources are materials and components (something that can be used) that can be found within the environment. Every man-made product is composed of natural resources (at its fundamental level). A natural resource may exist as a separate entity such as fresh water, and air , as well as a living organism such as a fish, or it may exist in an alternate form which must be processed to obtain the resource such as metal ores, mineral oil, and most forms of energy. There is much debate worldwide over natural resource allocations, this is particularly true during periods of increasing scarcity and shortages (depletion and overconsumption of resources) but also because the exportation of natural resources is the basis for many economies (particularly for developed countries). Some natural resources such as sunlight and air can be found everywhere, and are known...
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...Geothermal Energy: -Geothermal energy is simply power derived from the Earth's internal heat -Contained in the rock and fluids beneath Earth's crust Three Types of Geothermal Power Plants- -Dry Stream- takes stream out of fractures in the ground and uses it directly to drive turbine -Flash Plants- pull deep, high pressure hot water into cooler, low pressure water. the stream that results from this is used to drive turbine. -Binary Plants- the hot water is passed by a second fluid with a much lower boiling point than water. This causes the secondary fluid to vaporize which drives the turbine. Uses- -These underground reservoirs of streams and hot water can be tapped to generate electricity or to heat and cool buildings directly -Geothermal water can be used directly for heating homes and offices, or for growing plants in green houses -Some US cities pipe geothermal hot water under roads and sidewalks to melt snow -US is the world's largest producer of geothermal energy Advantages- -extracted without burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas -geothermal fields produce only about 1/6 of the carbon dioxide that a relatively clean natural-gas fueled power plant produces -binary plants release essentially no emissions -available 365 days a year -relatively inexpensive, saves almost 80% compared to how much fossil fuels cost Hydrothermal Energy: How It Works- -Hydrothermal energy is the process of obtaining heat or energy from a large body of...
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...2014 Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources and Their Use The US is one of the most wasteful countries in the world. We use more resources per person than many other countries do for double or even triple the number of people. Developing countries following in our footsteps implies a rapid disappearance of our non-renewable resources and overall implies the gradual destruction of our planet’s ecosystem, thus we need alternatives to create a sustainable use of the Earth’s resources such as: solar energy, wind energy, and hydro-electric energy. To start, the way we currently use energy is inefficient to be sustained over a long period of time. We have been aware of this for a while now, but continue to use fossil fuels as our main source of energy. We use coal and oil and combust them releasing carbon-dioxide into the air and destroying the ozone. However, this is method of energy cannot efficiently continue. Not only does the United States consistently need more than it needs but if developing countries follow suit then even more people will be using far more than the Earth can sustain. In response we will see projected numbers of how soon we will be out of the fossil fuels raise exponentially. The destruction of our current form of fuel will become imminent and our planet uninhabitable. In responsive measures, we have a few options. We can greatly reduce our current use, which only delays the problem and does not fix it, or we can completely change what resources we are...
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...trends in the energy consumption from the following sources: coal; natural gas; nuclear; hydroelectric; and wood/waste over this time span. Your task is to choose one of the fuel sources (coal, natural gas, nuclear, hydroelectric or waste) and research the advantages and disadvantages of this particular energy trend as it is illustrated on the graph. Does this trend support Connecticut’s initiative to significantly decrease the use of non-renewable resources by the year 2010? Some support materials for the study of energy resources may be found at the websites listed below and many others. Nuclear Energy Resources • Energy Information Administration: Nuclear http://www.eia.doe.gov/fuelnuclear.html • Office of Nuclear Energy, Science and Technology http://www.ne.doe.gov/ Hydroelectric Energy Resources • National Hydropower Association http://www.hydro.org/ • Power Matters: Hydroelectric Power http://www.tva.gov/power/hydro.htm Biomass Energy Resources • Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy http://www1.eere.energy.gov/biomass/ • Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (click on Biomass from the list)...
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...topic of energy has garnered an enormous amount of conflict and debate. It seems that everyone who’s of the age to drive a vehicle has an opinion on the matter, whether the argument is about high gas prices or why 48% of the United States’ oil is dependent on foreign countries (energy.gov). The most heated debate within the energy subject, however, is how we can reduce our carbon footprint. To a large amount of people, renewable energies, mainly wind and solar, seem to be the answer to the carbon footprint problem. While fossil fuels emit substantial amounts of carbon based emissions into the atmosphere, wind and solar power are seen as “clean” energies that can drastically lower pollution levels. The idea of renewable energies has good intentions to it, as most of today’s society thinks that they are very beneficial for the overall health of our environment; however, energies such as wind and solar can actually cause more environmental damage than most of us think. As a student at Western State College, my current area of focus is Professional Land and Resource Management. In these courses, experts from all across the spectrum of the energy industry have come to share their viewpoints and expertise on everything involving energy. From oil and gas, to geothermal and biomass fuel, the areas discussed are widespread. One thing that has caught my attention is the fact that a lot of this information is not widely recognized by the general public. Before I started attending the college...
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...The wind is free and with modern technology it can be captured efficiently. The strength of the wind is not constant and it varies from zero to storm force. This means that wind turbines do not produce the same amount of electricity all the time. There will be times when they produce no electricity at all. Once the wind turbine is built the energy it produces does not cause green house gases or other pollutants. Many people feel that the countryside should be left untouched, without these large structures being built. The landscape should left in its natural form for everyone to enjoy. Although wind turbines can be very tall each takes up only a small plot of land. This means that the land below can still be used. This is especially the case in agricultural areas as farming can still continue. Many people see large wind turbines as unsightly structures and not pleasant or interesting to look at. They disfigure the countryside and are generally ugly. Wind turbines are available in a range of sizes which means a vast range of people and businesses can use them. Single households to small towns and villages can make good use of range of wind turbines available today. Although wind power plants have relatively little impact on the environment compared to other conventional power plants, there is some concern over the noise produced by the rotor blades, aesthetic (visual) impacts. his greatly benefits the economy in rural areas, where most of the best wind sites...
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...SCI/275 In this weeks Weily video it discussed all the different types of renewable energy that is used in our country. The three that were highlighted in this video is biomass fermentation, wind power, and solar power. The first form of renewable energy is biomass fermentation. This is when different materials such as corn are collected and turned in to ethanol. This form of energy is supposed to be a cleaner way to run gasoline driven machines such as cars. The problem with biomass fermentation is that in order to turn these materials into fuel they must first be collected by the farmers that harvest their crops. If farmers refuse to harvest these materials then they can’t be turned into fuel. The next form of renewable energy is solar power. Solar power is a technology that has been around for a long time. These solar panels give off energy buy turning the sunlight into a beam. The fault with this technology and the reason that it hasn’t taken off over the years is because the solar panels that are needed to generate solar power cost too much and the average person can’ t afford them. Secondly, if the sun doesn’t shine then the solar panels don’t get enough energy to power the home. Finally we have wind power, big wind turbines that spin as the wind blows to create energy produce wind power. The obvious problem with wind power is that if there is no wind then there is no power. Another form of renewable energy is waterpower or hydroelectricity. Hydroelectricity occurs when water...
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...Renewable Energy Resources or Fossil Fuels: Global Warming, Efficacy and Cost Jeneen Rybak English Composition II Professor Sharon Carmack December 27, 2012 Throughout history, people have consistently developed a more convenient way to manage daily life. They have created ways to have access to fresh clean water, systems to remove human waste from within the home, heat, transportation, and electricity. People have become accustom to convenience, without thinking about the damage they could be causing to their own environment. It has become apparent that the human race has inadvertently and irreversibly caused damage to the very environment they depend on. Most of this damage is in our atmosphere due to the use of fossil fuels and the emission of carbon dioxide. Now is the time for the U.S Environmental policy to focus on developing renewable energy resources rather than further developing more oil resources. Global warming can be seen in numerous different forms, including severe weather patterns, changing seasons and melting glaciers. Since 1912, the Kilimanjaro snows have melted more than 80 percent and the glaciers of the Himalaya in India are retreating so quickly that researchers believe they could completely disappear by 2035. Even the migration pattern of animals and insects has changed with the rising temperatures (Glick, 2004). Though the cost of renewable energy sources may be slightly higher than oil (Rangarajan, & Guggenberger...
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...Freshwater is a renewable resource,due to rain, but it is not limitless. If people consume it faster than nature can replace it, the quality and the amount of freshwater sources that is remaining declines. Agriculture makes up a huge 70% of freshwater use. Crops like cotton,sugar and rice are especially thirsty and require a great amount of water to grow. It can take almost 5,000 litres of water to cultivate just 1 kg of rice. In the 2008 forecast for world rice production was 434.3 million tons of water [ USDA]. Water is crucial for farming. Lots of countries grow crops that are not suitable for the local weather and soil, due to government subsidies which make these crops profitable. When overproduction takes place, the salinity of the soil...
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...Biomass & Biofuel Biomass & Biofuel: The Future Umaer Ahmed SBI4U-03 Badgery, J. 01/02/13 Biomass & Biofuel: The Future Biofuels are a recent development that has stemmed a great deal of research into the issue of alternative energy. The energy that we get from biofuels originally came from the sun. This solar energy was captured through photosynthesis by the plants used as feedstock (raw materials) for biofuel production, and stored in the plants’ cells. This energy-containing biomass is converted into biofuel through biochemical, chemical, and thermo chemical conversion processes. For example, ethanol, today’s largest volume of biofuel, is produced through a biochemical process. In this process, yeasts ferment sugar from starch and sugar crops into ethanol. Most ethanol is produced from sugar canes and cornstarch. Biochemical conversion techniques allow us to make use of more abundant “cellulosic” biomass sources such as grass, trees, and agricultural residues. A simpler chemical process used to produce a biofuel is the production of biodiesel. Biodiesel facilities start with vegetable oils, seed oils, or animal fats and reacts them with methanol/ethanol in the presence of a catalyst. Algae and plants can serve as a natural source of oil which refineries can convert into jet fuel or diesel fuel. Once the biomass has been converted into biofuel, the biofuel is used...
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...energy especially when it is produced by non-renewable resources. We use non-renewable fuels to crank our cars, to hear our homes and to cool our homes. When pollutants from these non-renewable fuels are released into the air it contaminate the air we breathe along with the water that we drink. With that being said it is important to conserve energy to keep the air that we breathe cleaner. Conserving energy is also important because it reduces the electric bill and the gas bill which in turns save you money. Using renewable resources are the better ways to conserve energy and to maintain a healthier atmosphere for all humans, plants, and animals. There are two types of energy resources and they are renewable and non-renewable resources. There are three top renewable resources and they are but not limited to solar energy, wind energy and hydropower. Solar energy comes directly and indirectly from the sun which contributes to the growth of plants and trees. Wind energy is the movement of air when warm air descends and cooler air comes in. This type of energy is beneficial for sailboats. Hydropower comes directly from the energy of flowing water which make electricity. All of these renewable resources come directly from the earth. Non-renewable resources are coal, petroleum, natural gas, and nuclear energy. These resources come from underground and most of them derive from the fossil of dead plants and animals. This resources are not reusable which causes them to take away...
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...Green Construction INF 103 Prof. Sean Kenney 02/25/2013 What would life be like if we no longer had the resources to supply us with food, water, and the necessary resources to sustain human life? What if our air was no longer breathable? What if our streets were filled with trash? If our behavior as a society doesn’t change our habits this image can soon become a reality. Going green is necessary to preserve and sustain our required livable resources. In fact we have all gone green without a conscious effort. One aspect of going green that interests me is green construction. Green construction is the ability to construct eco-friendly buildings while efficiently using resources and reducing pollution. This process also continues throughout the buildings life cycle. Green construction has the ability to create and sustain a viable way of reducing the permanent destruction of human resources. USGBC (U.S. Green Building Council) is an organization of members who are dedicated in regenerating and sustaining a healthy environment. USGBC developed an internationally known green construction program called LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). LEED was created “to transform the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated, enabling an environmentally and socially responsible, healthy, and prosperous environment that improves the quality of life” (Foundations of LEED, 2009, Para. 3). For a building to be deemed green, it must be certified...
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...Natural Resources and Energy Paper 9-2012 SCI/256 Natural Resources and Energy Paper The first national park in the United States was Yellowstone National Park, which was created in 1872. At this time, the concept of a national park was new for people; however, it was a great thing because it allowed the people the ability to preserve and protect the best of what they had for the benefit and enjoyment of all future generations. Yellowstone National Park is located in a rugged region where the states of Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana come together. This rugged region is made up of alpine and sub-alpine forests, as well as, mountains of high elevation. Recognized for its ecological value, Yellowstone national park was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1976; a biosphere reserve is an environmental area which is highly sensitive that has protected status, which is managed primarily to preserve natural ecological conditions. This paper on Yellowstone national park will be discussing the impacts associated with agriculture, the effects that a growing human population can have on the resources of an ecosystem, a management practice to help with sustainability, the risks and benefits for extracting renewable and nonrenewable energy resource for the ecosystem, and management practices for sustainability and conservation of natural resources and energy. The Yellowstone National Park is home to many large animals such as bison, elk, grizzle bear, and wolf. The enactment of legislation...
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...The protection of environment in Western and Eastern Europe Natural environmental concerns have been felt since the late nineteenth century, when it was the attitude of admiration transition from passive to active natural beauty drive to protect them and prevent the abuse of natural resources . The central axis of our environmental policy is to ensure a clean environment for the health of its inhabitants , breaking the vicious circle of poverty and environmental degradation , ensuring innovative regenerative growth for the benefit of present and future generations , harmonization of legislation with the specific environmental European Union to accelerate integration into European structures. Without environmental protection , can not ensure sustainable development. Sustainable development includes environmental protection and sustainable development environmental conditions.Requirements and existing requirements at EU level requires a new approach to global environmental problems , in terms of effects and pressure on the environment and all socio -economic consequences . United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED ) held in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 , showed that they can not think of environment and economic and social development as isolated areas and that the only path to long-term economic progress it is binding environmental protection . The key issue of sustainable development is the reconciliation between two human aspirations : need for...
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... Currently we are facing a very serious issue, That is, hike in oil prices which is increasing rapidly. Now a day’s oil price is soaring the sky, which can be depicted as one of the major drawbacks in the growth of our economy because high oil prices generally cause a huge negative impact on the global economic growth and continuous depreciation of Indian rupees. So we will discuss how to deal with high oil prices and the methods to overcome. In India there is scarcity of natural resources due to which we have to import petroleum from other countries. As day by day demand for petrol, oil products is increasing and consumption rate of oil being high, it consequently tends to increase in oil prices. Government is always blamed for ever increasing prices but somewhere we people are also responsible for high oil prices. It is our duty also to see how we can contribute towards reduction in oil prices. We must keep in mind that oil is not extracted in our country, so we should also preserve our resources and them in a sustainable manner. According to my opinion only solution we are left with to deal with high oil prices is to reduce the consumption of oil i.e. Decrease in consumption = Decrease in demand = decrease in price. Now the question arises how to reduce the consumption of oil? It can only be reduced by combined efforts of both government and Common People. Following are the measures to be taken to reduce the consumption of oil which in turn will automatically tends...
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