Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Our Natural Resources
Our Natural Resources
Usefulness Changes
A. Things that affect our definition of usefulness.
1. Religion- Hindu- cattle 2. Custom- Dogs as food source. 3. Technology and Science
Soil Resources
A. Land area
1. U.S. 3,675,545 square miles or 2.26 billion acres 2. Surface ranges from 282 feet below sea level in Death Valley to 20,320 feet above sea level on Mt. McKinley
Soil Resources
B. Erosion
1. Since colonial times we have lost 1/3 of our topsoil to erosion. 2. Only 1/4 of our cropland is undamaged by erosion.
Soil Resources
B. Erosion
1. Since colonial times we have lost 1/3 of our topsoil to erosion. 2. Only 1/4 of our cropland is undamaged by erosion.
C. Urban expansion
Soil Resources
1. Land is converted to business or home usage. 2. Compaction results from concrete or other paving materials. 3. We must establish priorities for land use to balance food an d fiber production and industrial uses of our land.
Water Resources
A. Useable Water
1. Earth is 70% water, how much is useable? 2. As a power source water was used to carry logs, float boats, turn water wheels
Water Resources
3. Everyday we use 300 billion gallons of water a. 60 billion depleted b. 240 billion return to the hydrologic cycle c. Much is damaged by heat and pollutants
Water Resources
B. Controlling excess runoff
1. 37 states have average annual runoff of more than 10 inches
2. Much of the rain that falls, runs directly into the sea
Water Resources
C. Major water problems
1. Control 2. Quality 3. Distribution
Forest Resources
A. Acres of forest land
1. In 1607 half our land was forested, over 1 billion acres.
Forest Resources
B. Production
1. Since colonial times U.S. forests have produced about 2,700 billion board feet of timber. 2. Each year our forests grow more wood than we harvest.
Forest Resources
C. Mature Forests
1. Canopy is dominated by mature, slow-growing trees
a. produces very little wood
Other Resources
A. Energy Sources
1. Most energy comes directly or indirectly from the sun 2. Wind- used to move our goods and pull water form the earth.
A. Windmills Sailing Ships
Other Resources
3.Coal A. Most widely distributed storehouse of the suns energy. B. First discovered in America in 1673 in Illinois.
Coal
C. 35 billion tons have been produced in the US since mining began. D. Estimate reserves of 2.5 trillion ton of US coal, but is a one time resource.
Other Resources
4. Oil A. In late 1950s projected that oil reserves would last 14 years. B. Today we use more oil but have greater store of known oilis a one time resource.
Oil
5. Natural Gas A. Clean, efficient B. Proven reserves 260 trillion cubic feet.
Other Resources
B. Minerals 1. Most widely used are the metals a. Fe, Cu, Al, Mg, Pb, Zn, Sn, (Iron, Copper, Aluminum, Magnesium, Lead, and Tin)
Other Resources
C. Recreational Resources 1. Forests, lakes, beaches, mountains, parks, game animals and fish