Our Natural Resourcesالطبيعية مصادرناالحارثي: حمدة رسم

Illustrator: Hamda Al Harthi

Natural resources are something of value people get from the environment to sustain life, such as air, water, plants, animals, rocks, and minerals. 

Much of these resources are continually renewed by natural process and some are not.

Some resources are renewable, which means they can be replaced or grown back.

Air, water, and sunlight are natural resources that nearly all living things need to survive.

Can you think of any other renewable resources?

Animals are renewable resources like sheep that we use for food and dairy products.

Many crops are renewable natural resources. After they are harvested, more seeds can be planted and grown.

Other resources, however, are non-renewable. They cannot be replaced or they take a very, very long time to be replaced or grow back. Fossil fuels are non-renewable natural resources.

There are three major forms of fossil fuels: coal, oil, and natural gas.

We are using fossil fuels that have existed for more than 300 million years, since before the time of dinosaurs.

Fossil fuels are formed in the Earth from the remains of plants and animals. It takes millions and millions of years for fossil fuels to form, so they are non-renewable natural resources.

Can you think of any other Non-renewable resources?

We use rocks and minerals to make a variety of materials, including glass, metal, and copper.

We also use fossil fuel, to make a variety of materials, including plastics.

UAE has rich deposits of chromite and other minerals in the Hajar mountains.

Can you think of ways to cut down our use of natural resources using the

3Rs?