Renewable and

Non-renewable Resources
Learning Goals and Expectations
I will understand:
• The difference between renewable and non-renewable resources
• What makes a resource either renewable or non-renewable
• Examples of both types of resources

I will be able to:

• Consider the economic benefits and limits of both types of resources
• Consider the role both types of resources play in Canada’s economy
1. What makes a resource either renewable or
non-renewable?
• A renewable resource is a natural resource that either regenerates at
a relatively quick pace, or that exists in nature in a potentially infinite
amount
• A non-renewable resource is one that exists in finite quantities and
either doesn’t regenerate, or takes so long to regenerate that they
can be used faster than the resources will be replaced
2. What does it mean for a resource to be
“finite”
• Finite means that there are clear limits
and boundaries
• If a resource is finite, then there is a
definite amount that exists, and that’s
all there is – when it’s used up, it’s
gone and there is no more
• If a resource is infinite, then there is an
unlimited supply
3. What are examples of non-renewable
resources? What makes them non-renewable?
• Minerals
• There are mineral deposits that exist within the geosphere, but only some are
accessible. New mineral deposits are created very seldom through tectonic and
volcanic activity
• Fossil fuels
• Coal is created when plan material is buried deeply before it decomposes
• Oil and gas are created when marine life is buried deeply before it decomposes
• Nuclear energy
• Uses radioactive metals (minerals) to create heat in order to create steam and
turn turbines.
3. What are examples of non-renewable
resources? What makes them non-renewable?

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjfs_7kwRks
4. What are examples of renewable
resources? What makes them renewable?
• Food resources
• Natural energies
• Hydroelectricity/Tidal energy
• Geothermal energy
• Wind energy
• Solar energy
• Biomass
• Wood
• Water
5. What economic importance do non-
renewable resources have today?
Minerals
• Metals are used for:
• Building construction
• Transport vehicles
• Conductors, processors, and wiring in electrical products
• Currencies
• Jewelry
• Tools and machines
5. What economic importance do non-
renewable resources have today?
Minerals
• Other minerals are used for:
• Concrete is used in building construction
• Fertilizers
• Dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals
• Various tools
• Jewelry
• Electronic and smart processors
• Glass
5. What economic importance do non-
renewable resources have today?
Fossil Fuels
• Mostly used for creating energy
• Burning coal to produce electricity
• Burning natural gas to produce electricity
• Petrol and diesel in transportation vehicles
• Used to make lubricants in machines
• Engine oil
• Repairs and maintenance
5. What economic importance do non-
renewable resources have today?
Fossil Fuels
• Plastics are derived from oil and are so important for so many
products today such as:
• Many consumer and household items
• Containers and packaging
• Machine components
• Electronics
• Fabrics
5. What economic importance do non-
renewable resources have today?
• Non-renewable resources don’t just have importance in terms of
products
• Harvesting and collection, processing, and export of these resources provides
significant employment and revenue
• Many other industries depend on these resources to function – especially
transportation and tourism that use fossil fuels, as well as the manufacturing
industries that need energy to operate machines
6. What are the limitations of non-renewable
resources?
• They are finite. If we harvest and use them quickly, they will be gone
and we will need alternatives
• Burning fossil fuels and plastics manufacturing creates huge amounts
of air pollution contributing to climate change
• Plastics don’t decompose and not all are recyclable, and they create a
huge amount of environmental pollution
7. What are the economic benefits of
renewable resources?
Food Products
• We obviously need food to live
• As the global population grows, the market for these products grows
with it
• Foods need to be grown and harvested, processed, packaged,
transported and exported, and marketed and sold – all of which
creates jobs and revenues
7. What are the economic benefits of
renewable resources?
Natural Energies
• All except solar energy can be harvested on a continual and ongoing
basis
• Don’t need processing and don’t create toxic waste products like fossil
fuels and therefore use fewer resources than fossil fuels
• Don’t create environmental pollution which deters climate change
and health impacts of fossil fuels – saving the resources needed to
deal with those issues
7. What are the economic benefits of
renewable resources?
Wood
• Used for:
• Furniture and interior decorating
• Housing construction
• Paper products
• Packaging
• Harvesting, transport, and processing all create jobs
8. What are the limitations of renewable
resources?
• Paper is increasingly being phased out as our world becomes more
digital
• Renewable energies are limited in terms of:
• Where they can be produced in relation to where populations are
• The efficiency of transporting the energy to where it needs to be used
• The efficiency of storage and conversion to kinetic energy is less than fossil fuels
• Food production requires space and often uses chemicals which pollute
• Destruction of forests and habitat
• Unnatural man-made landscapes that reduce biodiversity
• Fertilizers and pest controls cause environmental pollution