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The natural resource of wind powers these 5MW wind turbines on this wind farm in Belgium.
A natural resource is anything that people can use which comes from nature. People do not
make natural resources, but gather them from the earth. Examples of natural resources are air,
water, wood, oil, wind energy, hydro-electric energy, iron, and coal. Refined oil is not a
natural resource because people make it.
Contents
[hide]
1 Supply
2 Demand
3 Availability
4 References
5 Other websites
Supply[change | change source]
We often say there are two sorts of natural resources: renewable resources and non-renewable
resources.
A renewable resource grows again and comes back again after we use it. For example,
soil, sunlight, water and wood are renewable resources.
A non-renewable resource is a resource that does not grow and come back, or a
resource that would take a very long time to come back. For example, coal is a non-
renewable resource. When we use coal, there is less coal afterward. One day, there
will be no more of it to make goods. The non-renewable resource can be used directly
(for example, burning oil to cook), or we can find a renewable resource to use (for
example, using wind energy to make electricity to cook). It is important to conserve
(save) non-renewable resources, because if we use them too quickly there will not be
enough.
Most natural resources are limited. This means they will eventually run out. A perpetual
resource has a never-ending supply. Some examples of perpetual resources include solar
energy, tidal energy, and wind energy.
[1]
Other examples are salt, stone, magnesium, and
diamonds.
Some of the things influencing supply of resources include whether it is able to be recycled,
and the availability of suitable substitutes for the material. Non-renewable resources cannot
be recycled. For example, oil, minerals, and other non-renewable resources cannot be
recycled.
Demand[change | change source]
The demand for resources can change with new technology, new needs, and new economics
(e.g. changes in cost of the resources). Some material can go completely out of use, if people
do not want it any more. Demand of natural resources is very high, but availability is very
low .
Availability[change | change source]
All places have their own natural resources. When people do not have a certain resource they
need, they can either replace it with another resource, or trade with another country to get the
resource. Some resources are difficult to find, so people sometimes fight to have them (for
example, oil resources).
When people do not have some natural resources, their quality of life can get lower. So, we
need to protect our resources from pollution. For example, when they can not get clean water,
people may become ill; if there is not enough wood, trees will be cut and the forest will
disappear over time (deforestation); if there are not enough fish in a sea, people can die of
starvation. Some examples of renewable resources are wood, solar energy, trees, wind,
hydroelectric power, fish, and sunlight. So humans should begin saving their natural
resources. Or else, all will be lost and it will be difficult for humans to survive.
4. Mixed cropping, crop rotation, and proper use of fertilizer, insecticide and pesticides should be taught to farmers. Encourage
the use of manures, biofertilizers and organic fertilizers.
5. We should protect wildlife. Though hunting is not allowed even then the persons are doing so. For this educated young
should teach the lesson of wildlife act.
6. We must develop energy saving methods to avoid wastage of energy. We should remember "energy saved is energy
produced."
7. Use drip irrigation and sprinkling irrigation to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce evaporation.
8. Utilize renewable energy sources as much as possible. Encourage use of solar cooker, pump etc.
9. We should recycle the waste and waste water for agriculture purposes.
10. Install rain water harvesting system in houses, colonies.
11. Try to educate local people for the protection and judicious use of natural resources.
Solar energy
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At the equator, the Sun provides approximately 1000 watts per square meter on Earth's surface.


The top diagram shows how the strength of sunlight is less nearer the Earth's poles. The lower map
shows how much solar energy hits the Earth's surface after clouds and dust have reflected and
absorbed some solar energy.


Solar Radiation Map: Global Horizontal Irradiation in Europe
Solar energy is energy that is present in sunlight. It has been used for thousands of years in
many different ways by people all over the world. As well as its traditional human uses in
heating, cooking, and drying, it is used today to make electricity where other power supplies
are absent, such as in remote places and in space. It is becoming cheaper to make electricity
from solar energy and in many situations it is now competitive with energy from coal or oil.
Contents
[hide]
1 Energy use
2 Energy from the Sun
3 Types of technologies
o 3.1 Solar power plants
o 3.2 Solar cooking
o 3.3 Solar heating
o 3.4 Solar cells
4 Other pages
5 References
6 Other websites
Energy use[change | change source]
Solar energy is used today in a number of ways:
As heat for making hot water, heating buildings, and cooking
To generate electricity with solar cells or heat engines
To take the salt away from seawater.
Energy from the Sun[change | change source]
After passing through the Earth's atmosphere, most of the Sun's energy is in the form of
visible light and infrared light radiation. Plants convert the energy in sunlight into chemical
energy (sugars and starches) through the process of photosynthesis. Humans regularly use
this store of energy in various ways, as when they burn wood or fossil fuels, or when simply
eating plants, fish and animals.
Solar radiation reaches the Earth's upper Earth's atmosphere with the power of 1366 watts per
square meter (W/m
2
). Since the Earth is round, the surface nearer its poles is angled away
from the sun and receives much less solar energy than the surface nearer the equator.
At present, solar cell panels convert, at best, about 15% of sunlight hitting them into
electricity.
[1]
The dark disks in the third diagram on the right are imaginary examples of the
amount of land that, if covered with 8% efficient solar panels, would produce slightly more
energy in the form of electricity than the world needed in 2003.
[2]

Types of technologies[change | change source]
Many technologies have been developed to make use of solar radiation. Some of these
technologies make direct use of the solar energy (e.g. to provide light, heat, etc.),