Sustainability

means meeting our own needs without

compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.
FORESTS
What do the forests store that helps to reduce global warming? ______________
List some of the organisms that call the forest their home.
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What is the goal of sustainable forestry? _____________________________________
Sustainable practices include… ____________________________________________
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WATER
Circle the correct answer: Water is… non-renewable or renewable
How much of the water on earth is available for people to drink? ______%
How can we protect water supplies?
(1) _________________________ (3) ____________________________
(2) _________________________ (4) ____________________________
FOSSIL FUELS
How are fossil fuels produced? ____________________________________________
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What are they used for? __________________________________________________
How do they harm the earth? ______________________________________________
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How can we conserve fossil fuels? _________________________________________
MINERALS
What does mining do to the environment? _________________________________
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Write a question and answer it using information you learned in this
paragraph:
(question)___________________________________________________________________________
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(Answer)_____________________________________________________________________________
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 From National Geographic:
Think about the natural resources you use today. Perhaps you used water to shower
or texted on a cell phone with copper, zinc, and other precious metals inside.
Everything we use comes from natural resources. However, many resources are
being depleted faster than they can be replaced. Sustainability is the practice of
using natural resources responsibly, so they can support both present and future
generations.

Especially as the human population grows, it is critical that we reduce our depletion
of forests, precious metals, and other natural resources. The earth’s natural
resources include air, water, soil, minerals, fuels, plants, and animals. Conservation is
the practice of caring for these resources so all living things can benefit from them
now and in the future. All the things we need to survive, such as food, water, ait,
shelter – come from natural resources. Some of these resources can be replaced
quickly and some take more time to replace, like trees. Other resources, like fossil
fuels, cannot be replaced at all because they are non-renewable resources. People
often waste natural resources.

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FORESTS:
Forests provide habitats for animals and plants. They store carbon,
helping to reduce global warming. They protect soil by reducing runoff
and add nutrients into the soil. They provide people with lumber and
firewood.

Deforestation is the process of clearing away forests by cutting them

down or burning them. Deforestation destroys the habitat of other
important organisms, including fruits, animals, and mushrooms that
humans use for medicine. Deforested land also increases soil erosion,
limiting the productivity of tree growth. The goal of sustainable forestry is
to prevent forest ecosystems. Sustainable practices include planting new
seedlings in deforested areas and reducing the number of trees cut down
each year.
 WATER:
the same. However, most of the planet’s water is unavailable for human use. While
more than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by water, only 2.5 percent of
it is freshwater. Out of that freshwater, almost 70 percent is permanently frozen in
the ice caps covering Antarctica and Greenland. Only about 1 percent of the
freshwater on Earth is available for people to use for drinking, bathing, and irrigating
crops.

People in many regions of the world suffer water shortages. These are caused by
depletion of underground water sources known as aquifers, a lack of rainfall due to
drought, or pollution of water supplies. The World Health Organization (WHO)
estimates that 2.6 billion people lack adequate water sanitation.

People can conserve and protect water supplies in many ways. Individuals can limit
water use by fixing leaky faucets, taking shorter showers, planting drought-resistant
plants, and buying low-water-use appliances. Governments, businesses, and non-
profit organizations can help developing countries build sanitation facilities.

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FOSSIL FUELS:
Fossil Fuels are fuels produced by the remains of ancient plants and animals. They
include coal, petroleum (oil) and natural gas. People rely on fossil fuels to power
vehicles like cars and airplanes, to produce energy and to cook and provide heat.

In addition, many products we use today are made from petroleum. These include
plastics, rubber, some fabrics like nylon, medicines, cosmetics, cleaning products
and more. Fossil fuels are formed over millions of years and are non-renewable.

These fuels pollute the air when they are burned. Burning fossil fuels also releases
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming. Global warming
is changing ecosystems. The oceans are becoming warmer and more acidic, sea
levels are rising, and many more areas are experience droughts while others suffer
from flooding.

Everyone can help conserve fossil fuels by using them carefully. Turning off lights
and other electronics when you aren’t using them. Walk, ride a bike, carpool and use
public transportation whenever possible.
 MINERALS:

Earths supply of raw material resources is in danger. Many mineral deposits that have been
located and mapped have been depleted. As the ores for minerals like aluminum and iron
become harder to find and extract, their prices skyrocket. This makes tools and machinery
more expensive to purchase and operate.

Many mining methods devastate the environment. They destroy soil, plants, and animal
habitats. Many mining methods also pollute water and air, as toxic chemicals leak into the
surrounding ecosystem.

Electronic devices present a big problem for conservation because technology changes so
quickly. For example, consumers typically replace their cell phones every 18 months.
Computers, televisions, and mp3 players are other products contributing to “e-waste.” The
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that Americans generated more
than 3 million tons of e-waste in 2007.
Many governments are passing laws requiring manufacturers to recycle used electronics.
Recycling not only keeps materials out of landfills, but it also reduces the energy used to
produce new products. For instance, recycling aluminum saves 90 percent of the energy
that would be required to mine new aluminum.
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