Finals Blog 2: Resources and Human Impacts on Earth Systems

http://i.treehugger.com/images/2007/10/24/smoke%20stack-jj-001.jpg
http://jazzrunner.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/deforestation_bolivia1.jpg
http://www.edinformatics.com/math_science/alternative_energy/wind/wind-farm.jpg

Part A: There are many different kinds of renewable and nonrenewable resources that are used for human consumption. Renewable resources, by definition, are natural resources that can be replaced at a rate that is equal to or faster than the rate humans can consume it. Examples of renewable resources could be wood, wind, solar energy, geothermal energy, and water. Most of these resources do not harm the environment in any way. Solar, wind, and geothermal energy only cost to start the equipment. After you afford them, the energy pays for itself and then gives much more back. Non-renewable resources are, obviously, the opposite. They cannot be produced at a rate equal to the rate humans are consuming them. Examples of these resources are natural gas, coal, oil, and petroleum. Burning these resources at the rate of our use puts excess CO2 into the atmosphere. They are cheap to mine and produce, which is why it is so popular with the public. There is no comparison as to which we should use, but fossil fuels are in such abundance the time to make the move to renewable resources for energy will take some time.

Part B: Humans have not been active enough in natural preservation in recent years to positively affect the environment. We have been damaging it more than helping it with our use of fossil fuels and pollution. With all the millions and millions of cars in the world, near every single one produces CO2 that goes into the atmosphere. It is pushing global warming ever so slightly, and increasing the global temperature. The deforestation of forests like the amazon is majorly affecting the oxygen output from trees. Destruction of the coral reefs is destroying the habitats of many different species of the ocean.

Bibliography

11/22/2009, "Non-Renewable Resource":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-renewable_resource

11/22/2009, "Renewable Resource":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-renewable_resource