Natural ResourcesNatural ResourcesNatural ResourcesNatural Resources

Two Types of Natural Resources

• Nonrenewable- limited

• Renewable-”unlimited”

Nonrenewable

• Petroleum

• Coal

• Natural Gas

Are Nonrenewable resources

a Problem?• Run out• Depend on Foreign countries for most of

our oil

Dependence on Foreign Oil

The US imported 66.5 percent of its oil, or 380 million barrels sending approximately $19.3 billion overseas to foreign governments.

That’s only for December 2008!!

In total, the US spent approximately $475 billion on imported oil in 2008. That’s over $855 million per minute!!

Reuters Tue Jan 13, 2009

Did you Know?

COUNTRY POPULATION 2009 EDUCATION BUDGET United States 303,824,640 $59.2 billion Saudi Arabia 27,601,038 $32.5 billion Venezuela 28,400,457 $19.7 billion

Scary, isn’t it? How do you expect to compete?

Petroleum (Oil)

• The good: – Easy to transport– Can be used in many ways (versatile)– Can create a lot of energy– Low cost (compared to other forms of energy)

• The Bad:– Emits carbon dioxide when burned– We are dependent on other countries

Coal• The good:

– Most abundant fuel source– Fairly cheap– Efficient producer of electricity (56%)

• The bad:– Emits CO2

– Dirty– Hazardous

Natural Gas (a.k.a methane)

• The good: – Used to heat your house, cook your

food, heat water– May be used in cars (not very often)

• The bad:– Still releases CO2 ( though less)– Not easy to get to market (harder

to transport)

Renewable

• Biomass Energy (carbon-based fuel)

• Hydroelectric Energy• Geothermal• Wind• Solar

Biomass• Create energy by burning wood, crop

leftovers and gases made by decaying organic waste (garbage).

Biomass (continued)

• Benefits: – Available Everywhere!

• Problems: – Burn carbon-based fuels to plant,

fertilize, and harvest.– Releases CO2 into the environment– Environmental impact from clearing

land and planting crops.

Biomass and CO2 impact

Plant takes in CO2 to grow

Plant Dies!!!

Same amount released

Is CO2 added to the environment!!!

Solar Energy

• Energy from the sun!!

Solar Energy (continued)

• Benefits: – no greenhouse gas emissions

• Problems:– Cost a lot to build and create solar

panels– Takes up a lot of land– Fluid used with solar electricity

generators is toxic.

Why not solar???

• It’s Expensive, but…– Cost has decreased over the past 25 years!– Houses of the future?

Wind Power

• Benefits: – free and

clean!

• Problems:– Expensive– Hazard to

birds and bugs

– Only works where there is wind

Hydropower

• Water used to turn turbine

• Benefits: – cheap and

clean

• Problems: – hurts

environment

Hydroelectric Dam

Steam produces power

• Heat water • Create steam• Steam rises • Steam spins turbine of a electrical

generator

Examples:– Burning Fossil Fuels– Nuclear Power Plants– Geothermal Power

Nuclear Power

• Fission – Uses Uranium

• Large energy released

• Heats up water• Spins turbine

Nuclear Power (continued)

• Good:– Does not burn carbon, no increase in

greenhouse gases– Fairly cheap to run

• Bad:– Produces nuclear waste– People concerned about safety…

whether they should be or not.

Geothermal Energy• Uses heat from inside the Earth to

heat water into steam that turns turbine

Geothermal (continued)

• Good:– No greenhouse gas emissions

• Bad:– Very Expensive– Still give off a tiny amount of carbon– Limited areas that can be used– Areas can cool off after awhile