Renewable Natural Resources

With gas prices so high and energy costs on the rise, everyone is looking into renewable natural resources for an alternative. Renewable natural resources are those that can be replenished faster than they can be consumed without any artificial intervention.

The difference between the fossil fuels (oil, gas, diesel and coal) that we use now and other energy sources is that fossil fuels do not renew. Once an oil field is emptied, there is no more oil that will ‘grow’ there as it’s the decomposing mass from the past.

Resources such as solar radiation, hydroelectricity, wind and the tides are all easily replenished resources. There is no current danger to their future availability. The wind always blows, the water flows and the sun always shines.

Other natural resources that are being explored for their renewable potential include timber, fresh water, geothermal energy and biomass. These resources are renewable, but require monitoring and care in order to avoid over using them. For example, timber that is cut down must be replaced with new trees, but new trees take time to grow. Fresh water is also a concern for drought stricken areas versus areas where floods occur.

The sun provides solar energy. It is found in abundance throughout the planet and provides a strong alternative energy resource. A photovoltaic battery can convert solar light into usable energy. According to scientific calculations, the sun provides up to 10,000 times the amount of energy currently in use on the planet today.

Turbine blades turn in several parts of the country, generating power from the wind currents that flow across the Earth as a direct result of the uneven heating of the planet as it orbits the sun. Humans harnessed wind energy centuries ago, using windmills to crush grain or pump water, prior to their use as electricity generators.

The Earth is 70 percent water. Hydro power is listed as one of the renewable natural resources because the movement of water generates energy. That energy can be used to generate electricity via turbines that the water flows through. Sun, wind and hydro power are in great abundance and only require human ingenuity to put them to work creating energy resources for society.

Danger exists in managing water as a resource because aquifers may be drained faster than they can be replaced. Ground water that is displaced from pocket spaces may also cause issues with resettling compaction and that cannot be undone. Fresh water, like timber, needs careful management.

Geothermal energy passes the test because the heat flowing from the earth as natural decay occurs within the earth’s mantle. This is a constant process that is always occurring. Experts rank the level of power resource to be equal to that of solar energy. Other renewable resources include:

• Alcohol – Alcohol is created from a variety of sources including sugar cane and corn. Alcohol can be used to as fuel source and is very renewable.
• Plant Oil – Research indicates that plant and seed oil (think of products along the lines of Canola Oil) may provide a resource for replacing diesel fuel.
• Methane Gas – Methane gas is being explored as a naturally renewing source of energy because it burns more cleanly than other fuel sources and may be used to replace standard oil based fuel.
• Timber – Timber accounts for chemicals, plywood, paper and more products. It is a renewable resource if properly managed, unfortunately heavy deforestation in many areas presents its own challenge maintaining timber as a renewable resource.

• Ways to Prevent Global Warming
• 50 Specific Actions of Green Living
• Examples of Sustainable Development

• United States Recycling Statistics
• Types of Pollution
• Air Pollution Statistics
• Effects of Water Pollution
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Biofuels

• How to Build a Hydrogen Generator
• List of Renewable Resources
• What is Free Trade and Fair Trade
• Definition of Sustainable Development
• Non Renewable Resources